Adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines and its correlates among Spanish university students: UNILIFE-M study

Background: University students are at a critical stage for establishing healthy lifestyle habits, yet little is known about their adherence to integrated 24-hour movement guidelines that include physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines and identify sociodemographic, anthropometric and mental or physical health conditions correlates among Spanish university students. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included first-year students from Universidad Loyola Andalucía (Spain) participating in the UNIversity student’s LIFEstyle behaviors and Mental health (UNILIFE-M) study. Data were self-reported using validated questionnaires. Adherence was defined according to international recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (≥150 min/week), screen time (≤3 h/day), and sleep duration (7–9 hour/night). Descriptive statistics, Venn diagrams, and robust logistic regression models were used to assess prevalence and correlates. Results: A total of 671 students (median age = 18 years; interquartile range [IQR] 18-19); 50.1% females) were included. Only 25.9% of students met all three 24-hour movement guidelines, while 7.0% met none. Adherence was significantly higher among males (odds ratio [OR] = 1.77; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.21 to 2.59), and lower in older students (≥18 years old; OR = 0.58; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.90), those enrolled in non-health sciences programs (OR = 0.68; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.00); and those with mental health problems (OR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.65). Conclusions: Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines is low among Spanish university students, particularly among females, older students, non-health sciences academic disciplines and mental health problems. Personalized interventions targeting high-risk groups are warranted to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in this population.