Relationships of Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors with Perceived Stress Among Women College Students

Background: Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both physical activity (PA) and mental health is important to demonstrate the need for interventions. This study examined the apparent impact of the pandemic on college students’ PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Methods: From 2015 through 2020, data were collected at the beginning and end of the spring semester at a large Northeastern US university via an online survey assessing student demographics, PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Mixed ANOVA examined differences in PA and mental health changes over the spring semester between “normal” and COVID-19 circumstances. Two-way ANOVA examined the interaction between circumstance and changes in PA in relation to changes in mental health. Results: Participants (n = 1019) were predominately women and non-Hispanic white. There was a significant decline in PA and an increase in perceived stress under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances and a significant increase in depressive symptoms under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances among women. Conclusions: A significant decline in PA and mental health among college students occurred under COVID-19 circumstances, and PA did not appear to protect against deterioration in mental health. Proactive and innovative policies, programs, and practices to promote student health and well-being must be explored immediately.

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Independent and combined associations between screen time and physical activity and perceived stress among college students

Addictive Behaviors ◽

10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106224 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 106224 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Yinjian Ge ◽

Shimeng Xin ◽

Dechun Luan ◽

Zhili Zou ◽

Xue Bai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Screen Time

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Associations between physical activity and perceived stress/hassles in college students

Stress and Health ◽

10.1002/smi.1094 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 179-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Selena T. Nguyen-Michel ◽

Jennifer B. Unger ◽

Jeff Hamilton ◽

Donna Spruijt-Metz

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Perceived Stress

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Relationships among Self-Esteem, Stress, and Physical Activity in College Students

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/02.07.09.pr0.110.2.469-474 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 110 (2) ◽

pp. 469-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Allison Hubbs ◽

Eva I. Doyle ◽

Rodney G. Bowden ◽

Robert D. Doyle

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Human Behavior ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

International Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽

Stress Scale ◽

Study Participants ◽

Activity Questionnaire

The purpose of this study was to identify population and sex-specific relationships between perceived stress, self-esteem, and physical activity in college students. 90 students, ages 18 and older and enrolled in five sections of a health and human behavior class during the spring 2010 semester, were contacted for this study with 74 consenting to serve as study participants. Each participant completed three surveys: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Significant correlations were observed between perceived stress and self-esteem in men, and in women. Physical activity was not significantly correlated with perceived stress or self-esteem.

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Mediating Effect of Perceived Stress on the Association between Physical Activity and Sleep Quality among Chinese College Students

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 289

Author(s):

Xiangyu Zhai ◽

Na Wu ◽

Sakura Koriyama ◽

Can Wang ◽

Mengyao Shi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Short Form ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Mediating Effects ◽

Coping With Stress ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

Pharmaceutical Therapy

Background: While physical activity has been reported to positively affect stress and sleep quality, less is known about the potential relationships among them. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of stress on the association between physical activity and sleep quality in Chinese college students, after controlling for age, nationality, and tobacco and alcohol use. Participants: The sample comprised 6973 college students representing three Chinese universities. Methods: Physical activity, perceived stress, and sleep quality were respectively measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Perceived Stress Scale—10 Items (PSS-10), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: Mediating effects of perceived stress on the association between physical activity and sleep quality were observed in males and females, with 42.4% (partial mediating effect) and 306.3% (complete mediating effect) as percentages of mediation, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study may provide some suggestions that physical activity could improve sleep by aiding individuals in coping with stress and indicate that stress management might be an effective non-pharmaceutical therapy for sleep improvement.

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Vigorous Activity and Perceived Stress in Overweight or Obese Female Students

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab055_062 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1252-1252

Author(s):

Marisa Tassi ◽

Jesse Stabile !Morrell

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Female Students ◽

Female College Students ◽

Vigorous Activity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Female College ◽

Overweight Or Obesity

Abstract Objectives To examine the relationship between reported vigorous aerobic exercise and perceived stress scores (PSS) among female college students with overweight or obesity. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected between 2012–2020 from the College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey, an ongoing study at a public northeastern university. Measured height and weight by trained technicians were used to calculate BMI (kg/m2) and categorize students as overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Students completed Cohen's 10-item Perceived Stress Scale and self-reported vigorous physical activity (days/past week) via online (Qualtrics) questionnaire. Mean differences between activity groups were examined via ANCOVA; age, major and taking anxiety medication served as covariates. Results A total of n = 622 female students with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 were included for analyses. Participants had a mean age of 18.8 ± 0.4 years and BMI of 28.1 ± 0.1 kg/m2. Most (95.1%) participants were white, and first year students made up the largest group (55.4%) of participants. Almost 1 in 5 students (17.8%) reported no days of vigorous activity, 15.3% reported one day, 12.8% reported 2 days, and 54% reported 3 or more days of vigorous activity. PSS scores were negatively related to # of vigorous activity days (P < 0.001). Those who reported no days of vigorous activity had higher perceived stress scores than those who participated in 2 days or 3 or more days of vigorous activity (19.7 ± 0.6 vs. 17.0 ± 0.7 and 16.3 ± 0.4, respectively, P < 0.01). Conclusions Findings suggest engaging in increasing days of vigorous activity is related to lower perceived stress in female college students with overweight or obesity. These findings support the inclusion of physical activity recommendations to broadly support the health and wellness of university students. Funding Sources The New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project.

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