Infographic: National Survey Reveals High School and College Students’ Favorite Sports, Exercise Habits, Diet, and More
For Immediate Release
April 29, 2015, Westford, MA
A new survey provides a never-before-seen look at high school and college students’ cumulative exercise habits, sports preferences, time management skills, and diet opinions—and students may be healthier than you expect!
The survey, presented by CollegeXpress, a comprehensive college planning website, and O2 MAX Fitness, a youth fitness company, was developed to better understand how high school and college students incorporate healthy habits into their busy lives, specifically: What do students do to stay healthy? How often do they exercise? What sports do they play? What do they eat? How does social media factor into their fitness routines?
Nearly 7,000 young people were surveyed, 90% of them current high school and college students from across the country. Listed below are some of the major findings.
Click here for a sharable infographic.
Sports
- 53% of students play at least one sport, and 59% do so exclusively through their school.
- The top three most popular sports are soccer, outdoor track, and basketball. Football didn’t crack the top 10.
- Least popular sports include bobsleigh, luge, and croquet.
- Students who choose not to play sports said they are more involved in the arts, marching band, and schoolwork. Others found the cost prohibitive.
- Many students commented, saying they were shy or embarrassed about their perceived lack of athletic ability.
Exercise
- Almost 70% of students exercise three days a week or more.
- Only 1% said they never exercise.
- Of those who exercise, 65% incorporate cardio; 50% do strength training; 36% participate in team sports; 30% do outdoor activities; 21% practice yoga or meditate; and 12% do group classes.
Diet
- 49% of all college respondents said their campus food is a good mix of healthy and unhealthy options.
- Only 9% said they ate an unhealthy diet.
- Many students said they eat cheap, unhealthy foods to save money, even though healthier options may be available.
“Students are often an overlooked market for the fitness and nutrition industry, but this survey confirms that both high school and college students are more interested than ever in their overall fitness,” says Karen Jashinsky, Founder and CEO of O2 MAX Fitness. “Students lead very busy lives, but by incorporating fitness into their daily routines as well as watching what they eat, they will find that they are more focused and less stressed out. The earlier that students take their health into consideration, the easier it will be to incorporate fitness and nutrition into adulthood.”
Students work harder than you may realize
“Today’s students are incredibly motivated, balancing jam-packed school schedules with many and varied extracurricular activities, both athletic and non,” says Jessica Tomer, Editor-in-Chief of CollegeXpress. “The overwhelming majority of our respondents still manage to exercise regularly and eat right, and they strictly budget their time to fit everything in. This corresponds with widespread reports that students feel more pressure to succeed and are more stressed than ever before—not surprising! It’s a challenge to be sure, but high school and college students are rising to the occasion.”
Balancing schoolwork with other activities, including regular exercise, is a struggle for most students. Many have found ways to accommodate all of their responsibilities and interests, but they’ll be the first to tell you that it’s difficult. Prioritizing, maintaining a steady routine, and time management are essential skills. Required gym classes at school and physically active jobs and hobbies help them meet activity goals as well, freeing up more time for classwork and other activities.
Our thanks to all who participated in the survey and to O2 MAX Fitness for their help!
To learn more please contact Jessica Tomer, Editor-in-Chief of CollegeXpress, at jtomer@carnegiecomm.com or Karen Jashinsky, Founder of O2 MAX Fitness, at karen@o2maxfitness.com.
About CollegeXpress
There is no other college search site like CollegeXpress. Students from high school to grad school, their families, and guidance counselors use CollegeXpress because it’s free, fun, and, most importantly, helpful. It has everything they need for the college journey: a college search, a scholarship search, a graduate program search, 800+ unique college lists, handy articles and blogs, and much more. You can follow CollegeXpress on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About O2 MAX Fitness
O2 MAX Fitness, founded by personal trainer and youth fitness expert Karen Jashinsky, helps busy students with big ambitions integrate personalized fitness into their busy lifestyles. Through a unique, proprietary method, developed by Karen, who holds an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California, O2 MAX Fitness is able to customize lifestyle fitness and nutrition plans that match the goals, schedules and personalities of each student. From high school to prom to college and beyond, O2’s mission is to help students achieve their life’s goals with confidence and ease by providing them with fitness programs and products that are affordable and adaptable. To join the discussion on student fitness, visit O2 MAX Fitness on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter