Mental health and physical activity assessed in university students of Education

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate whether physical activity predicts levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among Education students at the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano de Puno. A quantitative approach with an explanatory research design was adopted. The study included 544 university students, 280 men (51.5%) and 264 women (48.5%), with a mean age of 20.19 ± 3.075 years. Multiple linear regression and Pearson’s correlation analyses were employed. This predictive model (R² = 0.278) identified three main variables as significant determinants: physical activity (β = –0.141; P < 0.001), age (β = –0.118; P < 0.01), and living arrangements in the city of Puno (β = –0.134; P < 0.001). Physical activity showed an inverse correlation with depressive symptoms, indicating that higher levels of physical activity are associated with decreased depressive symptoms. Conversely, age demonstrated a moderate negative correlation, suggesting that as individuals grow older, depression levels tend to decrease slightly. Finally, it was also found that living alone in the city of Puno correlates with depressive symptoms.