Association of Mental Health with Physical Activity, BMI, and Positive Psychological Wellbeing in College Students

Abstract

Mental health issues have been documented as the top health concern that impedes college students’ academic success. It is critical to explore factors that positively promote mental health in college students. PURPOSE: To investigate to what extent physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), and positive psychological traits were associated with mental health in college students by gender. METHODS: Participants were 2,214 college students (1102 males, 1109 females). Their mental health and weekly PA minutes were assessed using the modified National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Their positive psychological traits were measured with the validated Trait Hope Scale and Subjective Happiness Scale. Body weight and body height were measured for BMI. All measures occurred in regular physical education classes. Alpha coefficients of each measure ranged from .88 to .90. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple R-squared linear regression models, and independent sample t-tests. RESULTS: The linear regression model indicated that weekly PA minutes, BMI, hope, and happiness significantly predicted the mental health (F = 148.521, p < .01), accounting for 21.1% of the variance in mental health. The regression coefficients (β) revealed that weekly PA minutes, hope, and happiness significantly contributed to the mental health (t = 3.087, t = 4.815, t = 10.103, p < .01), but not BMI. Regarding gender differences, the four predictors explained 19.6% of the variance in the mental health for males and 23.3% for females. The regression coefficients (β) revealed that significant predictors of the mental health for males were weekly PA minutes, hope, and happiness (t = 3.087, t = 4.815, t = 10.103, p < .01). In contrast, significant contributors to the mental health for females were hope and happiness (t = 6.385, t = 11.253, p < .01). Males significantly outperformed than females in weekly PA minutes, BMI, and hope traits (t = 7.307, t= 20.475, t = 4.957, p < .01), while females scored significantly higher than males in happiness (t = 6.822, p < .01). CONCLUSION: Positive psychological traits including hope and happiness significantly contributed to the college students’ mental health. PA was a significant predictor of male students’ mental health. BMI was not significantly associated with the college students’ mental health.