Relationship Among Physical Activity Level, Mood and Anxiety States and Quality of Life in Physical Education Students

Abstract

Background:Physical activity level (PAL) is known to play an important role in reducing risk factors associated with sedentarism, in addition to improving the mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQL).Objective: Investigate the relationship of PAL and their domains with HRQL, mood state (MS) and anxiety. Method: 140 Physical Education students (23.6 ± 3.7 years) were evaluated. The Baecke Habitual Physical Activity and Quality of Life (QOL-36) questionnaires, State-Trait Anxiety Inventories (STAI-S and STAI-T) and Profile of Mood States (POMS) scale were used to investigate PAL, HRQL and mental health indicators. Pearson’s correlation coefficient examined the association between PAL and both mental health and HRQL parameters.Results: There was a correlation between state anxiety and both the domain leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) (p = 0.013) and total PAL score (p = 0.010). In relation to MS, a negative correlation was found between LTPA and total mood disorder (TMD) (p = 0.004). However, there were positive correlations between the vigor subscale and both LTPA (p=0.001) and total PAL (p=0.019). With respect to HRQL, analysis of the relationship between LTPA and total PAL demonstrated positive coefficients with the physical component summary (PCS) (p=0.000; p = 0.005), mental component summary (MCS) (p = 0.000; p = 0.006) and total HRQL (p = 0.000; p = 0.003).Conclusion:The findings suggest that the rise in LTPA was related to an increase in HRQL and MS. However, PAL was positively related to anxiety.

Quality of Life and Physical Activity among University Students

“…Most studies show a positive effect of sport activity on subjective well-being in terms of happiness and life satisfaction [35,36,37]. Our study results showed that they developed PA and QoL levels and that there was a positive correlation between them [38,39].…”

Association Between Current Physical Activity and Current Perceived Anxiety and Mood in the Initial Phase of COVID-19 Confinement

“…Our study found a relevant association overall between higher current PA and lower current perceived worse mood among the study sample; however, significant associations were solely observed among specific subgroups. Similarly, a significant body of work has observed improvements in mood state associated with higher levels of PA (34,35). Furthermore, not only were healthy populations that showed mood enhancement, but also populations with previous conditions (32,36); even short bouts of PA have been observed to improve mood in older adults (37).…”

Physical Education Classes as a Precursor to the Mediterranean Diet and the Practice of Physical Activity

“…In addition, it is important to highlight the influence that teachers have on students' development of skills and knowledge based on a balance between discovery and previous experiences, which allows them to overcome difficulties and make the best decisions related to the adoption of behaviors that promote health [53,54]. In addition, PE is a discipline where students are exposed to continuous stressful situations and where, through the different proposed activities, they feel continually challenged, so success and failure are often present during classes [55][56][57]. Such circumstances can influence the opinion they have of PE classes, assuming a greater or lesser involvement of students during PE classes, affecting in the final stage the development of behaviors aimed at the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits.…”