Start Date
April 2026
Location
3rd floor - Library
Abstract
BACKGROUND: College students experience elevated stress levels due to academic, social, financial, and personal pressures that limit physical activity. Wellness events, such as goat yoga, may offer outlets for stress relief and promote physical activity. PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of attending a goat yoga event offered by Xavier University’s Exercise Science Club. METHODS: A post-event survey was distributed to all sixty-two Xavier University students who attended one of two 60-minute goat yoga sessions on Monday, April 28, 2025. Descriptive data were analyzed to summarize demographics, knowledge of guidelines and physical activity levels, motivations for, perceived benefits of, and satisfaction with the event. RESULTS: Eleven participants (91% women; mean age = 20.1±1.4 years; mean BMI = 22.5±1.8 kg/m²) completed the survey, and all students (100%) loved the overall experience, scoring it as 10/10. All participants reported decreased stress (55% reported a significant reduction and 45% reported a slight decrease). The most reported motivation (72%) for attending the event was “to have fun or enjoy the activity.” Participants reported 193±118 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. While 73% of participants met the weekly exercise recommendation of 150 minutes per week, only 18% knew the correct guideline. While 91% strongly agreed that “exercise is important for physical and mental health,” 73% reported “lack of time” and 18% reported academic stress as the top reasons for limited physical activity. CONCLUSION: Goat yoga events were well-received by students, decreased stress, and offered an opportunity to participate in physical activity.
IMPACT OF ATTENDING A GOAT YOGA EVENT ON XAVIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT HEALTH
3rd floor - Library
BACKGROUND: College students experience elevated stress levels due to academic, social, financial, and personal pressures that limit physical activity. Wellness events, such as goat yoga, may offer outlets for stress relief and promote physical activity. PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of attending a goat yoga event offered by Xavier University’s Exercise Science Club. METHODS: A post-event survey was distributed to all sixty-two Xavier University students who attended one of two 60-minute goat yoga sessions on Monday, April 28, 2025. Descriptive data were analyzed to summarize demographics, knowledge of guidelines and physical activity levels, motivations for, perceived benefits of, and satisfaction with the event. RESULTS: Eleven participants (91% women; mean age = 20.1±1.4 years; mean BMI = 22.5±1.8 kg/m²) completed the survey, and all students (100%) loved the overall experience, scoring it as 10/10. All participants reported decreased stress (55% reported a significant reduction and 45% reported a slight decrease). The most reported motivation (72%) for attending the event was “to have fun or enjoy the activity.” Participants reported 193±118 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. While 73% of participants met the weekly exercise recommendation of 150 minutes per week, only 18% knew the correct guideline. While 91% strongly agreed that “exercise is important for physical and mental health,” 73% reported “lack of time” and 18% reported academic stress as the top reasons for limited physical activity. CONCLUSION: Goat yoga events were well-received by students, decreased stress, and offered an opportunity to participate in physical activity.
