Vigorous Physical Activity, Mental Health, Perceived Stress, and Socializing among College Students

AbstractBackgroundVigorous physical activity (VPA) may be beneficial for mental health. The aim of the study was to investigate cross-sectional associations between VPA, perceived stress, sleep quality and quantity and mental health among university students.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, using anonymous questionnaires, data was collected from 15122 (42.1% male and 57.9% female) university students [mean age 20.6, standard deviation (SD) = 2.0] from 23 countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia. They were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short version), and measures of sociodemographic, health status, health behaviour and anthropometrics.ResultsStudents who met VPA recommendations were less likely to report perceived stress, more likely to report subjective good health and depression than students without VPA. There was no association between VPA and sleep quality and quantity and PTSD symptoms.ConclusionThis study only found partial benefits of VPA in relation to well-being of university students.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US College Students’ Physical Activity and Mental Health

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2020-0325 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 272-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Oliver W.A. Wilson ◽

Kelsey E. Holland ◽

Lucas D. Elliott ◽

Michele Duffey ◽

Melissa Bopp

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Significant Decline ◽

Spring Semester ◽

The Impact

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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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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Sleep as a Priority: 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Mental Health of Chinese College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9091166 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1166

Author(s):

Kaixin Liang ◽

Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins ◽

Si-Tong Chen ◽

Cain Craig Truman Clark ◽

Michael Joseph Duncan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

The Individual

Research on the combined role of 24-hour movement behaviors (sleep, sedentary behavior [SB], and physical activity) in adult mental health, though important, is in its infancy. In the context of Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines integrating quantitative recommendations for sleep, SB, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), this study aimed to examine the associations between meeting guidelines and mental health among college students. The study used a cross-sectional sample of 1846 Chinese college students surveyed online in August 2020. Through network analysis and multivariate analysis of covariance, the individual and combined associations between meeting 24-hour movement guidelines and the levels of depression and anxiety after adjusting sociodemographic factors were analyzed. Results indicated that meeting the sleep guideline had stronger associations with depression and anxiety than meeting the SB or MVPA guideline. Specifically, compared to meeting no guidelines, meeting the sleep guideline (alone or in combination with other guidelines) was associated with significantly lower levels of depression and anxiety; meeting both SB and MVPA guidelines was also associated with a significantly lower level of depression. Hence, meeting more guidelines, especially adhering to a healthy sleep routine, may play an important role in promoting the mental health of young adults.

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Perceived stress and suicidal behaviors in college students: Conditional indirect effects of depressive symptoms and mental health stigma.

Stigma and Health ◽

10.1037/sah0000125 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 98-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jameson K. Hirsch ◽

Jessica Kelliher Rabon ◽

Esther E. Reynolds ◽

Alison L. Barton ◽

Edward C. Chang

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Indirect Effects ◽

Mental Health Stigma ◽

Suicidal Behaviors ◽

Conditional Indirect Effects

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Feelings of safety during daytime walking: associations with mental health, physical activity and cardiometabolic health in high vacancy, low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan

International Journal of Health Geographics ◽

10.1186/s12942-021-00271-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Amber L. Pearson ◽

Kimberly A. Clevenger ◽

Teresa H. Horton ◽

Joseph C. Gardiner ◽

Ventra Asana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Low Income ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Future Research ◽

Cardiometabolic Health ◽

Multilevel Regression ◽

Critical Pathway ◽

Perceived Safety

Abstract Introduction Individuals living in low-income neighborhoods have disproportionately high rates of obesity, Type-2 diabetes, and cardiometabolic conditions. Perceived safety in one’s neighborhood may influence stress and physical activity, with cascading effects on cardiometabolic health. Methods In this study, we examined relationships among feelings of safety while walking during the day and mental health [perceived stress (PSS), depression score], moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA), Body Mass Index (BMI), and hemoglobin A1C (A1C) in low-income, high-vacancy neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan. We recruited 69 adults who wore accelerometers for one week and completed a survey on demographics, mental health, and neighborhood perceptions. Anthropometrics were collected and A1C was measured using A1CNow test strips. We compiled spatial data on vacant buildings and lots across the city. We fitted conventional and multilevel regression models to predict each outcome, using perceived safety during daytime walking as the independent variable of interest and individual or both individual and neighborhood-level covariates (e.g., number of vacant lots). Last, we examined trends in neighborhood features according to perceived safety. Results In this predominantly African American sample (91%), 47% felt unsafe during daytime walking. Feelings of perceived safety significantly predicted PSS (β = − 2.34, p = 0.017), depression scores (β = − 4.22, p = 0.006), and BMI (β = − 2.87, p = 0.01), after full adjustment. For PA, we detected a significant association for sex only. For A1C we detected significant associations with blighted lots near the home. Those feeling unsafe lived in neighborhoods with higher park area and number of blighted lots. Conclusion Future research is needed to assess a critical pathway through which neighborhood features, including vacant or poor-quality green spaces, may affect obesity—via stress reduction and concomitant effects on cardiometabolic health.

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Vigorous physical activity and mental health—Associations suggest a link among childhood cancer survivors

Cancer ◽

10.1002/cncr.32171 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 125 (17) ◽

pp. 2923-2925 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jennifer R. Bail ◽

Wendy Demark‐Wahnefried

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Childhood Cancer ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Childhood Cancer Survivors

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Less screen time and more frequent vigorous physical activity is associated with lower risk of reporting negative mental health symptoms among Icelandic adolescents

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0196286 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. e0196286 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Soffia M. Hrafnkelsdottir ◽

Robert J. Brychta ◽

Vaka Rognvaldsdottir ◽

Sunna Gestsdottir ◽

Kong Y. Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Screen Time ◽

Lower Risk ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms

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

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2021.08.095 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 121 (10) ◽

pp. A155

Author(s):

J. Carr ◽

V. Quick ◽

E. Papaconstantinou

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Women College Students

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Investigating Motivation for Physical Activity among Minority College Females using the BREQ-2

Journal of Student Research ◽

10.47611/jsr.v4i1.155 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 40-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gherdai Hassel ◽

Jeffrey John Milroy ◽

Muhsin Michael Orsini

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Promotion ◽

Moderate Physical Activity ◽

Time On Task ◽

State University ◽

Activity Class ◽

Activity Promotion ◽

Basic Studies

Adolescents who engage in regular physical activity experience increased academic performance and grades, improved academic behavior, such as time on task, as well as an increase in other factors that influence academic achievement. Despite physical activity recommendations, regular engagement in physical activity is still an issue among American adolescents. Furthermore, physically inactive lifestyles are highest among minority populations, lower socioeconomic groups, and women. Self Determination Theory provides a basis for investigating the cognitive, affective and motivational processes of physical activity. At present time, there is a dearth of research exploring motivation of physical activity among minority female college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the type of motivation that is most strongly related to moderate physical activity, vigorous physical activity, strength training and stretching among college-aged African American females in an effort to consider ways to improve physical activity promotion efforts on a college campus. Students enrolled in a required basic studies physical education and wellness course at a southeastern state university were invited to participate in data collection activities. Participants were invited to complete the modified Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-2), a 19-item questionnaire designed to measure motivation for physical activity. Of the 1422 college students that agreed to participate, 54 identified themselves as a non-Caucasian female. Results offered limited support for the hypothesis that those who are extrinsically motivated would engage in more physical activity. Nevertheless, a required physical activity class for college students could potentially provide an opportunity for those who would otherwise be amotivated for physical activity to engage in regular physical activities.

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