Purposes: The 24-Hour Movement Guidelines represent an innovative and comprehensive approach to promoting overall health by integrating recommendations for physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep. The guidelines include accumulating at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA per week, limiting sedentary time to 8 hours or less, reducing recreational screen time, and getting 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep. However, college students have faced significant health challenges and decreased academic performance due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there has been an increase in SB, a substantial decrease in PA, and a decline in sleep quality. The purpose of this literature review was to examine the relationship between 24-Hour Movement Guidelines adherence, mental health, and academic performance among college students.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost Web Advanced Search. The keywords that were utilized “24-Hour Movement Guidelines”, “mental health,” “college student,” and “academic performance.” The search was conducted from June 2024 – July 2024. Thirty articles were selected, based on relevancy in understanding the association of 24-Hour Movement Guidelines adherence, mental health, and academic performance among college students.

Results: Previous studies have shown that adherence to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines is significantly associated with improved mental health outcomes among college students. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, posed significant challenges to maintaining these guidelines, with many students experiencing decreased PA, increased SB, and disrupted sleep patterns. Evidence indicates that only a few students meet all components of the guidelines, and adherence varies significantly based on sociodemographic factors.

Conclusion: This literature review emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions to promote adherence to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines among college students. More involvement from PA and mental health professionals is needed to design comprehensive programs that support college students’ mental health and academic performance. Understanding the relationship between 24-hour movement behaviors, mental health, and academic performance is critical to supporting college students’ health and well-being. 

Keywords: 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, Mental Health, Academic Performance, Post-COVID-19 Era, College Student