Aug 19, 2014 12:59 AM EDT By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

People's educational attainment may influence their level of physical activity both during the week and on weekends, according to a new study.

Researchers found that, on average, those with a college degree are more active on Saturdays and Sundays than on a typical weekday -- whereas for people without a high school degree, the opposite is true.

"Education affects people both at the individual level and at their social level," researcher Kyle Chapman said in a statement. "Physical activity is encouraged or discouraged in different groups."

For the study, researchers examined accelerometer data from the 2005 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which measures how many steps adults in the United States take per day and the intensity of those steps. By focusing on intensity, researchers can determine the amount of time an individual spends in various activity categories such as sedentary, moderate, or vigorous activity.

On weekdays, the study found that people with a college degree spend an average of 8.72 hours a day in sedentary activity, compared to 7.48 hours for a person without a high school degree.

According to Jarron M. Saint Onge, who led the study, these patterns were unsurprising considering past research has found that less-educated groups of people typically spend more time engaged in occupational physical activity at their jobs during the week. That occupational activity, however, may take place at low energy thresholds, include repetitive motions, and may have potentially negative health consequences.

Chapman said the study's findings could be useful in developing targeted public health initiatives related to physical activity based on a person's educational attainment.

"You have to be flexible. We have to give people different ideas," Chapman said. "We have to have discussions on what works for some and what works for others."

The findings will be presented at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association.

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