Influence of physical activity and diet on stress and anxiety in higher education

Authors

  • María José Benavides-Sánchez Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
  • José Luis Ubago-Jiménez Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
  • Eduardo Melguizo-Ibáñez Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
  • José Manuel Alonso-Vargas Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.636041
Keywords: Physical Activity, Nutrition, Stress, Anxiety, Higher Education

Abstract

Anxiety, physical inactivity, as well as poor adherence to a good diet are some of the most frequent problems among the university population. This may be mainly due to the preoccupation with studies, exams and all the work assignments, ending in little time for culinary and physical activity. All of this leads to an increase in pathologies such as stress and anxiety, which causes students to create bad habits. The aim of this study was to relate stress and anxiety levels, as well as physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a sample of university students. The focus is therefore on the differences between gender and academic performance. For this purpose, a cross-sectional, descriptive, comparative, descriptive design study was used, with a sample of 272 university participants who completed the PREDIMED test, the Beck anxiety inventory and an Ad Hoc sociodemographic questionnaire. The main results obtained are that the female sex suffers a higher rate of anxiety than the opposite sex. In addition, it is important to highlight that people who practice more physical activity have lower levels of anxiety, obtaining that 8 out of 10 students who practice physical activity have lower levels of anxiety.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alkhateeb, S. A., Alkhameesi, N. F., Lamfon, G. N., Khawandanh, S. Z., Kurdi, L. K., Faran, M. Y., Khoja, A. A., Bukharia, L. M., Aljahdali, H. R., Ashour, N. A., Bagasi, H. T., Delli, R. A., Khoja, O. A., & Safdar, O. Y. (2019). Pattern of physical exercise practice among university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (before beginning and during college): a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8093-2

American College Health Association. (2019). National College Health Assessment II: Undergraduate student reference group data report. Spring.

Asher, M., & Aderka, I. M. (2018). Gender differences in social anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74(10), 1730-1741. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22624

Barrio-Carvajal, S. (2020). Cómo influye el estrés en el cerebro del auditor. Auditoría Pública: Revista de los Órganos Autónomos de Control Externo, 75, 15-26. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt22p7h85.6

Basurto-Avilés, A. E., Rodríguez-Alava, L. A., Giniebra-Urra, R., & Loor-Rivadeneira, M. (2020). Reacciones psicosomáticas producidas por el estrés y la salud mental de los docentes universitarios. ReHuSo, 5(3), 16-25. https://doi.org/10.33936/rehuso.v5i3.2596

Borbón-Castro, N. A., Castro-Zamora, A. A., Cruz-Castruita, R. M., Banda-Sauceda, N. C., & de-la-Cruz-Ortega, M.F. (2020). The Effects of a Multidimensional Exercise Program on Health Behavior and Biopsychological Factors in Mexican Older Adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02668

Cantero-Castrillo, P. (2018). La percepción de salud en jóvenes escolares [Doctoral Thesis, Universidad A Coruña].

Cantero-Castrillo, P. C., Mayor-Villalaín, A. M., Toja-Reboredo, B., & González-Valeiro, M. (2019). Active lifestyles development at school: physical activity, age and gender. Sportis, 5(1), 53-69. https://doi.org/10.17979/sportis.2019.5.1.3680

Castro, O., Bennie, J., Verger, I., Bosselut, G., & Biddle, S. J. H. (2020). How Sedentary Are University Students? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Prevention Science, 21, 332-343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01093-8

Chacón-Cuberos, R., Zurita-Ortega, F., Olmedo-Moreno, E. M., & Castro-Sánchez, M. (2019). Relationship between Academic Stress, Physical Activity and Diet in University Students of Education. Behavioral Sciences, 9(6), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs9060059

Dale, L. P., Vanderloo, L., Moore, S., & Faulkner, G. (2019). Physical activity and depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in children and youth: An umbrella systematic review. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 16, 66-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.12.001

Fernández-López, O. I., Jiménez-Hernández, B., Alfonso-Almirall, R. B., Sabina-Molina, D., & Cruz-Navarro, J.R. (2012). Manual para diagnóstico y tratamiento de trastornos ansiosos. Medisur, 10(5), 466-479.

Fouilloux, C., Fouilloux-Morales, M., Tafoya, S. A., & Petra-Micu, I. (2021). Asociación entre actividad física y salud mental positiva en estudiantes de medicina en México: un estudio transversal. Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 21(3), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.414381

García-Perujo, M., & Carrillo-López, P. J. (2020). Niveles de actividad física y calidad de la dieta en escolares de Educación Primaria. Revista Iberoamericana de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, 9(2), 16-31. https://doi.org/10.24310/riccafd.2020.v9i2.7155

Gómez-Baya, D., Salinas-Pérez, J.A., Sánchez-López, A., Paino-Quesada, S., & Mendoza-Berjano, R. (2022). The Role of Developmental Assets in Gender Differences in Anxiety in Spanish Youth. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.810326

González-Valero, G., Nobari, H., Badicu, G., López-Gutierrez, C. J., Moreno-Rosa, G., & Castro-Sánchez, M. (2022). Relationship of Physical Activity and Sleep Duration with Self-Concept, Mediterranean Diet and Problematic Videogame Use in Children: Structural Equation Analysis as a Function of Gender. Applied Sciences, 12(12), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12062878

Halliday, A. J., Kern, M. L., & Turnbull, D. A. (2019). Can physical activity help explain the gender gap in adolescent mental health? A cross-sectional exploration. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 16, 8-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2019.02.003

López-Fernández, M. V., & Sánchez-Herrera, S. (2018). Relación entre la madurez vocacional y la motivación hacia el aprendizaje académico. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology, 1(1), 21-30. https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2018.n1.v1.1150

López-Walle, J. M., Tristán, J., Tomás, I., Gallegos-Guajardo, J., Góngora, E., & Hernández-Pozo, R. (2020). Estrés percibido y felicidad auténtica a través del nivel de actividad física en jóvenes universitarios. Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 20(2), 265-275. https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.358601

Martínez-Baena, A.C., Chillón, P., Martín-Matillas, M., Pérez-López, I., Castillo, R., Zapatera, B., Vicente-Rodríguez, G., Casajús, J. A., Álvarez, Granda, L., Romero-Cerezo, C., Tercedor, P., & Delgado-Fernández, M. (2012). Motivos de abandono y no práctica de actividad físico-deportiva en adolescentes españoles: estudio Avena. Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 12(1), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.4321/s1578-84232012000100005

Martínez-González, M. A., Fernández-Jarne, E., Serrano-Martínez, M., Wright, M., & Gómez-Gracia, E. (2004). Development of a short dietary intake questionnaire for the quantitative estimation of adherence to a cardioprotective Mediterranean diet. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 58, 1550–1552. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602004

Montoya-González, S., Mera-Mamián, A. Y., Mondragón-Barrera, M. A., Muñoz-Rodríguez, D. I., & González-Gómez, D. (2022). Propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Comportamiento Sedentario (SBQ-s) en universitarios colombianos. Retos, 46, 745-757. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v46.94103

Mulè, A., Galasso, L., Castelli, L., Ciorciari, A., Michielon, G., Esposito, F., Roveda, E., & Montaruli, A. (2022). Lifestyle of Italian University Students Attending Different Degree Courses: A Survey on Physical Activity, Sleep and Eating Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability, 14(22), 1-12.https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215340

Navalón-Mira, A., & Fabregat-Cabrera, M. E. (2022). Sociodemografía de los hábitos alimentarios. Una investigación en jóvenes universitarios de Alicante. Index de Enfermería, 31(3), 160-164. http://hdl.handle.net/10045/126755

Organización Mundial de la Salud (2022). Actividad física. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity

Ortega-Ceballos, P. A., Terrazas-Meraz, M. A., Zúñiga-Hernández, O. Y., & Macías-Carrillo, C. (2022). El Estrés percibido en estudiantes universitarios durante la pandemia por COVID-19. ConCiencia EPG, 7(2), 68-88. https://doi.org/10.32654/CONCIENCIAEPG.7-2.5

Pantoja-Vallejo, A., & Polanco-Zuleta, K. M. (2019). Depresión, Ansiedad y Actividad Física en Escolares: Estudio Comparado. Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnóstico y Evaluación-E-Avaliacao Psicológica, 3(52), 143-155. https://doi.org/10.21865/RIDEP52.3.11

Papadaki, A., Hondros, J., Scott, J. A., & Kapsokefalou, M. (2007). Eating habits of University students living at, or away from home in Greece. Appetite, 49(1), 169-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2007.01.008

Payne, H. (2022). The BodyMind Approach (R) to support students in higher education: Relationships between student stress, medically unexplained physical symptoms and mental health. Innovations in Education and Teaching international, 59(4), 483-494. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2021.1878052

Rodríguez-Muñoz, P. M., Carmona-Torres, J. M., Rivera-Picón, C., Fabbian, F., Manfredini, R., Rodríguez-Borrego, M. A., & López-Soto, P. J. (2020). Associations between Chronotype, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Sexual Opinion among University Students. Nutrients, 12(6), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061900

Rosselli, M., Ermini, E., Tosi, B., Boddi, M., Stefani, L., Toncelli, L., & Modesti, P.A. (2020). Gender differences in barriers to physical activity among adolescents. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 30(9), 1582-1589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2020.05.005

Santos-Marqués, G. F., Oliveira-Pinto, S. M., Rodrigues-da-Silva-Reis, A. C., Barbosa-Martins, T. D., da Conceiçao, A. P., & Veira-Pinheiro, A. R. (2021). Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Elementary school children (1st cycle). Revista Paulista de Pediatría, 39, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-0462/2021/39/2019259

Serra-Majem, L., Tomaino, L., Dernini, S., Berry, E. M., Lairon, D., de la Cruz, J.N., Bach-Faig, A., Donini, L. M., Medina, F. X., Belahsen, R., Piscopo, S., Capone, R., Aranceta-Bartrina, J., La Vecchia, C., & Trichopoulou, A. (2020). Updating the Mediterranean Diet towards Sustainability: Focus on Environmental Concerns. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238758

Tholen, R., Wouters, E., Ponnet, K., de-Bruyn, S., & Van-Hal, G. (2022). Academic Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Flemish First-Year Students: The Mediating Role of Sense of Belonging. Journal of College Student Development, 63(2), 200-217. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2022.0015

Zurita-Ortega, F., San Román-Mata, S., Chacón-Cuberos, R., Castro-Sánchez, M., & Muros, J. J. (2018). Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Is Associated with Physical Activity, Self-Concept and Sociodemographic Factors in University Student. Nutrients, 10(8), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10080966

Published
04-11-2024
How to Cite
Benavides-Sánchez, M. J., Ubago-Jiménez, J. L., Melguizo-Ibáñez, E., & Alonso-Vargas, J. M. (2024). Influence of physical activity and diet on stress and anxiety in higher education. SPORT TK-EuroAmerican Journal of Sport Sciences, 13, 3. https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.636041
Issue
Section
Articles