Abstract
Volume 7: Issue 1, Article 3, 2026. Background: Health behaviors and motivational factors are increasingly recognized as contributors to academic performance in college students. Physical activity (PA), perceived academic control (PAC), and body mass index (BMI) have each been linked to academic outcomes, yet their combined effects remain understudied. Purpose: To examine the relationships between PA, PAC, BMI, and academic performance in undergraduate students. Methods: A total of 299 undergraduates from a regional Midwestern university participated in this study. Students completed a survey assessing demographic variables, physical activity (via IPAQ-SF), PAC, BMI, and self-reported academic performance on a 7-point scale. Correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results: PAC was the strongest predictor of academic performance. BMI was negatively associated with academic performance, while physical activity was not significantly related to academic performance or PAC. Conclusions: These findings contribute to the growing literature on non-cognitive and health-related predictors of academic success. As colleges expand efforts to support students, integrated strategies that address academic beliefs and overall well-being may offer particular value in promoting academic achievement and persistence.
Repository Citation
Vanderbunt, Erin and Woolley, Jenna
(2026)
"Academic Performance in College Students: The Roles of Physical Activity, Perceived Academic Control, and BMI,"
Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology: Vol. 7:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.9741/2766-2187.1134
Available at:
https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/scholarship_kin/vol7/iss1/3
DOI
10.9741/2766-2187.1134