Physical Activity Behavior and Mental Health Among University Students During COVID-19 Lockdown

Physical Activity and Psychological Wellbeing Among Healthcare Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

Regular physical activity (PA) contributes to physical and mental wellbeing. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related lockdowns in 2020, regular PA had been adjusted. Furthermore, students became accustomed to studying at home. Students in the healthcare field, in particular, have a better understanding of the link between PA and mental health. This study aimed to assess the association between psychological wellbeing and PA among healthcare students at one public university in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted between November 2021 and February 2022. Healthcare students at one public university in Saudi Arabia were invited to participate in an online survey, consisting of three sections. The first section contained questions about demographic data. The second section was the International Physical Activity-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), which is composed of seven questions designed to assess the level of PA. The third part is The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), which is a self-reported questionnaire comprising 20 questions that assessed depressive symptoms on a four-point scale. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal Wallis test were used to analyze the collected data using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0 (Released 2021; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

RESULTS

The total responses received were 197 (response rate=60%). The majority of students in this sample were performing inadequate PA and reported depressive symptoms. No association was found between the amount of PA practiced and psychological wellbeing. There was a significant difference between specialties in relation to PA.

CONCLUSION

The majority of students in this sample were performing inadequate PA and reported depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown. The importance of PA should be promoted among healthcare students.

The Impact of COVID-19 Health and Safety Measures on the Self-Reported Exercise Behaviors and Mental Health of College Students

The public-health restrictions (e.g., remote learning, restricted access to facilities and dining halls) put in place by colleges to reduce the spread of COVID-19 resulted in forced isolation and modifications to health-related behaviors. The restrictions and uncertainty associated with COVID-19 may have exacerbated the challenges of meeting exercise recommendations and mental-health concerns. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of restrictions on students' exercise habits and their levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. Five-hundred and forty students completed a 29-question survey on individual demographics, living arrangements, exercise, sleep, diet, and mental health. Significant changes in weekly days of exercise and intensity were reported. Increases in anxiety, stress, and depression were reported. The two most frequently reported changes in exercise behavior were an increase in minutes of aerobic training (5%) and a combination of reduced minutes of aerobic and resistance training (3.9%), which could be reflective of an individual's ability and/or desire to maintain exercise behavior during the restrictions. Alternatively, for those students who reduced their exercise habits, aerobic training (11%) was the mode that suffered the most. Demographic factors such as ethnicity, regional residence, and gender were found to have significant effects on stress, anxiety, and depression. Amidst pandemics and future health emergencies, colleges should prioritize establishing opportunities for students to exercise, helping them meet physical activity recommendations and combat mental-health issues.

Interactive effects of sleep and physical activity on depression among rural university students in China

Background

Decreased sleep quality and physical activity among university students have become important concerns, while depressive symptoms are on the rise, especially in rural areas. Previous studies have confirmed the association between sleep quality and physical activity and depressive symptoms, but the effect of their interaction on depressive symptoms has been less studied. For this reason, the present study analyzed the interaction between sleep quality and physical activity on depressive symptoms to provide reference and assistance for mental health promotion and intervention for university students in rural areas of China.

Methods

In this study, we investigated sleep quality, physical activity, and depressive symptoms in 11,423 university students in rural areas of China. The association of sleep quality and physical activity with depressive symptoms was analyzed by using univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. And further analyzed the association between the interaction effect of sleep quality and physical activity and depressive symptoms.

Results

The proportion of university students with depressive symptoms in rural China was 33.3%, with a higher proportion of girls students (36.7%) having depressive symptoms than boys students (28.8%). Logistic regression analysis of the interaction between sleep quality and physical activity and depressive symptoms in university students showed that university students with poor sleep quality and MVPA>60 min/d (OR = 4.40,95% CI: 3.75-5.05) had the highest risk of depressive symptoms (p < 0.001). University students with moderate sleep quality and MVPA of 30-60 min/d (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.75-1.61) had the lowest risk of depressive symptoms (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was no gender difference in this result.

Conclusion

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher among university students in rural areas of China. There was an interaction between sleep quality and MVPA on depressive symptoms, maintaining a good quality of sleep and an appropriate length of MVPA has a contributory effect on mental health, and the same trend was found for both boys and girls students. It is recommended that university students in rural areas of China should first maintain proper sleep quality while maintaining 30-60 min of MVPA per day, which may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.

Physical activity, sleep, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A one-year longitudinal study of Spanish university students

The objective of this longitudinal study was to analyze changes in physical activity, sedentary time, sleep, anxiety, mood, and perceived health as a result of COVID-19 pandemic in a cohort of Spanish university students, both during the home confinement and one year after. Additionally, we analyzed the associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and other measured parameters. Data were collected through two online questionnaires that included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and self-reported anxiety, mood, and perceived health levels before, during and one year after home confinement. Participants reported decreased physical activity, increased sedentary time, and deterioration in sleep quality and perceived health during confinement. Most parameters had improved one year later; however, the participants still reported less physical activity, more sedentary time, and deterioration in sleep quality and perceived health compared to before confinement. Men reported greater reduction of physical activity during home confinement than women. In contrast, women reported reduced physical activity one year after confinement, whereas men reported increased activity. Participants reported higher anxiety and worse mood both during and one year post-confinement compared to pre-confinement, with women reporting higher levels of anxiety than men. Sports science students were closer to regaining pre-pandemic levels of physical activity one year post-confinement than students in other disciplines. Sleep, anxiety, and mood were worse among students with obesity compared to students in other BMI categories. Overall, increased physical activity and decreased sedentary time were associated with less anxiety and better sleep, mood, and perceived health during and one year post-confinement. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, anxiety, mood, and perceived health were disrupted one year after home confinement. Higher levels of physical activity and lower sedentary time were associated with preserved sleep and mental health during the pandemic.

Health behavior of Austrian tertiary students focusing on diet type linked to sports and exercise-first glimpse of results from the "sustainably healthy-from science 2 high school and university" study

Background

There is a strong association between lifestyle behavior and health status. While young adulthood is a critical period for adopting and stabilizing lifelong healthy behavior, university life is independently associated with psychological stressors that may further affect health and well-being.

Objective

The present multidisciplinary study aimed to examine the health behavior of Austrian college and university students, differentiated based on diet types (vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous) and physical activity (PA) habits.

Methods

Following a cross-sectional study design, a total number of 6,148 students (65.3% females; 66.1% bachelor students, 67.0% from urban areas; mean age: 24.8 years) from 52 Austrian college/universities participated in an online survey and provided data on sociodemographic characteristics, dietary patterns, PA habits, and other lifestyle behavior characteristics, including alcohol intake and smoking.

Results

Across the total sample, 74.0% had a normal weight (BMI = 18.5-25.0 kg/m2), while the prevalence of overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) was lower in females than males and more in rural than urban students (p < 0.01). The general prevalence of vegetarian and vegan diets was 22.8 and 6.0%, respectively, with a predominance of females, graduates, and urban students compared to their peers (p < 0.01). The majority of students (79.3%) had a regular engagement in sport/exercise, with a predominance of vegetarian or vegan students compared to omnivores (p < 0.01). Vegans and vegetarians had a lower alcohol intake (p < 0.01) but no differences in smoking habits (p > 0.05) compared to omnivores. Students engaging in sport/exercise had a lower smoking rate and higher intake of fruits, vegetables, and fluids compared to inactive students (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The present findings suggest that diet type and PA habits of college/university students have an impact on other health behaviors, highlighting the interconnected nature of lifestyle habits and health behavior.

Chinese College Students' Physical-Exercise Behavior, Negative Emotions, and Their Correlation during the COVID-19 Outbreak

BACKGROUND

In the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of college students' physical exercise, the detection rate of negative emotions, and their correlation should attract extensive attention. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the correlation between college students' physical exercise and negative emotions.

METHODS

Data were collected via a web-based cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 3118 college students from five universities in Shanghai in March 2022. In addition to sociodemographic information, measures included Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). The chi-squared test and logistic regression were used to analyze the differences and test the relative risk of negative emotions caused by different amounts of physical exercise.

RESULTS

Most students (66.1%) performed a small amount of physical exercise. Male students' physical-exercise level was higher than female students', and the detection rate of negative emotions was lower than that of female students. Moderate and low physical-exercise levels were associated with a higher risk of depression (beta of 0.289 and 0.345, respectively) and anxiety (beta of 0.301 and 0.418) symptoms than high physical-exercise level.

CONCLUSIONS

The anxiety symptoms of college students were significant during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The physical-exercise behavior of college students was closely related to negative emotions, and the weakening of physical-exercise behavior was one of the factors that induced negative emotions in college students.

Psychosocial and Physical Predictors of Stress in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Study

Currently, university students are at a high risk of stress due to university adjustment, educational interruption, and alterations in daily life because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the relationship of psychosocial and physical factors with stress in university students during the pandemic. Demographic, psychosocial, physical, and self-perceived stress level information were obtained from 409 Thailand university students. A multiple regression analysis was performed, with stress level as the dependent variable and gender, age, study period, study program, social support, self-esteem, health literacy, health behavior score, sedentary behavior, and physical activity (PA) as independent variables. Most participants had moderate stress levels (68.9%), high self-esteem (83.9%) and social support (66.5%), fair health literacy (41.1%) and health behavior (32%), sedentary lifestyle (85.3%), and PA-levels lower than 600 min per week (57.46%). The regression analysis showed that 45.7% of the variability in stress level was predicted by self-esteem, study period, social support, travel domain of PA, and health behavior. COVID-19 and the attendant restrictions resulted in moderate levels of stress in Thailand university students. High self-esteem, long duration of study, great social support, and having healthy behavior may contribute to the prevention of stress in this population.

Association between the Physical Activity Behavioral Profile and Sedentary Time with Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health in Chilean University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association between the behavioral profile of physical activity and sedentary time with subjective well-being and mental health in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study in a voluntary sample of 469 university students (22.4 ± 0.19 years; 66% women). According to students' self-reports of physical activity and sedentary time, four behavioral profiles were created to investigate their association with subjective well-being and mental health using one-factor ANOVA that was adjusted to a multifactorial model.

RESULTS

The physically inactive and sedentary behavior profile presents the lowest levels of subjective well-being (p < 0.001), positive affective experiences (p < 0.001) and general mental health (p = 0.001). When adjusting for confounding variables, it was observed that the physically active and non-sedentary profile was associated with better general mental health (p < 0.01) in contrast to those who are physically active and sedentary.

CONCLUSIONS

Chilean university students with a physically inactive and sedentary profile during the pandemic presented worse well-being and mental health, with a sedentary lifestyle being one of the variables that most affects the mental health of these students. Therefore, measures should be implemented to encourage this population to maintain adequate levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary times.

A Latent Class Analysis of Mental Health Severity and Alcohol Consumption: Associations with COVID-19-Related Quarantining, Isolation, Suicidal Ideations, and Physical Activity

The present study examined latent class cluster group patterns based on measures of depression and anxiety symptom severity and alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hypothesized correlates with latent class cluster groups including quarantining, self-isolation, suicidal ideations, sitting hours per day, and physical activity (vigorous intensity exercise in minutes per week) were examined. The delimited participant sample consisted of 606 university young adults 18 to 25 years of age (M = 21.24 ± 1.62). Latent cluster analysis (LCA) modeled patterns of depression and anxiety symptom severity and alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between group analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to examine relationships between latent class clusters and correlates including quarantining, self-isolation, suicidal ideations, sitting hours per day, and physical activity (vigorous intensity exercise in minutes per week). LCA results showed that six latent cluster groups provided optimal model-to-date fit based on mental health symptom severity and alcohol consumption (L 2  = 56.31, BIC = 5012.79, AIC = 4849.74, and the bootstrap L 2 p-value = .88; Entropy R 2  = .89). Identified latent class clusters were as follows: cluster one = moderate anxiety and depression severity and moderate alcohol consumption (n = 156; 25.7%); cluster two = high mental health severity and alcohol consumption (n = 133; 21.9%); cluster three = low mental health symptoms and moderate alcohol consumption (n = 105; 17.3%); cluster four = lowest mental health severity and alcohol consumption (n = 95; 15.7%); cluster five = moderate depression severity, low anxiety severity, and low alcohol consumptions (n = 74; 12.2%); and cluster six = moderate anxiety severity, low depression severity, and low alcohol consumption (n = 43; 7.1%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis results found that quarantining, self-isolation, suicidal ideations, sedentary behavior, and physical activity were differentially associated with cluster group membership. Findings from this study demonstrate associations between COVID-19 public health restrictions, suicidal ideations, and declines in mental health and increases in alcohol consumption among young adult university students.

Investigating Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Nursing Students During Remote Learning: An Experience from Dong A University, Vietnam

Introduction

There was a radically changed in nursing education during the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreaks. The transition to remote learning stressed nursing students in many countries, particularly in Vietnam. However, there is still lacking a novel study to describe the mental characteristics of nursing students in detail.

Objectives

To assess the mental health of nursing students, including stress, anxiety, and depression, and to identify the related factors to their mental health during the online study period because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 540 nursing students at Dong A university using a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and tests, including Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman's correlation to identify the related factors.

Results

In total 540 participants, nursing students reported stress (N  =  120, 22.2%), anxiety (n  =  195, 36.1%), and depression symptoms (n  =  135, 23.1%). There was a significant relationship between age, work status, married status, number of children, stress, anxiety, and depression (P < 0.01). In addition, our study showed a negative correlation between frequency of physical activity, perceived health and stress (r  =  -0.117; p < 0.01, r  =  -0.127, p < 0.01), anxiety (r  =  -0.133; p < 0.01, r  =  -0.112, p < 0.01), depression (r  =  -0.134; p < 0.01, r  =  -0.135, p < 0.01). A significant relationship was observed between e-learning space and Internet status with mental health (p < 0.05). Especially, there was no association between average online learning time, academic workload, stress, anxiety, and depression (p > 0.05). However, the authors found a positive association between perceived level of stress related to evaluative activities and stress, anxiety, depression (r  =  0.120, p < 0.01; r  =  0.089, p < 0.05; r  =  0.088, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Nursing students suffered stress, anxiety, and depression during online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the presence of some related factors. Therefore, this study may increase more attention of universities, families, and governments to reduce the stress of nursing students during distance education.