The role of tax-filing status in uncovering socioeconomic and physical activity differences in college-aged students

Objective This study examined relationships among multifaceted measures of socioeconomic status (SES) and physical activity (PA) in undergraduates. Participants were classified into dependent and independent tax filers to encapsulate the atypical divide in financial responsibility. Participants: 366 diverse American undergraduates. Methods: Participants completed an online survey including three SES metrics and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: Participants engaged in the same amount of total PA, albeit different proportions depending on SES measure and PA type. Independent tax filers engaged in more occupational PA than dependent tax filers, regardless of SES. Students with low SES engaged in less leisure-time PA than students with high SES. Conclusion: Household Material Hardship and SES proxy measures should be considered in the context of tax filing status among undergraduates. Greater precision with multifactorial SES measures will assist in providing the nuanced context when optimizing interventions and reducing barriers to increase PA in young adults.