The impact of physical activity on the mental health of university students: An epidemiological study from Paraguay

Study aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of physical activity on the mental health characteristics of a sample of university students from Paraguay, assessing their daily physical activity and the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress. Materials and methods: This observational, descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study included 317 university students. Participants were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to categorize their physical activity levels and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to measure mental health characteristics. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and chi-square tests to explore associations between physical activity and mental health outcomes. Results: The results indicated that 49.5% of the participants were engaged in low levels of physical activity, while 20.2% and 30.3% reported high and moderate activity levels, respectively. Mental health assessments showed high prevalence rates for depression (65.3%), anxiety (68.5%), and stress (66.6%). Inverse correlations were found between total physical activity and each mental health parameter: depression (r = –0.167, p = 0.003), anxiety (r = –0.141, p = 0.012), and stress (r = –0.133 p = 0.018). Thus, higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusions: This study confirmed a significant inverse correlation between physical activity and common mental health issues. The promotion of physical activity may be a protective factor against depression, anxiety, and stress in this population. These findings support the need for university health programs to encourage physical activity as a strategic approach to enhance students’ mental health.