The Association Between Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines and Mental Health Among High-School Students in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

PurposePhysical activity (PA) is associated with mental health outcomes in high-school students, yet many students do not meet the recommended PA levels. Furthermore, both PA levels and mental health were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess whether the number of PA recommendations students met during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with their self-reported mental health (including their experiences with stress, anxiety, and depression) during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsStudents completed the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, where they reported PA behaviors, mental health, and COVID-19–related experiences (as control variables) during the pandemic. ResultsEach PA recommendation that was met was associated with a 17% decrease in the odds of students self-reporting that they experienced stress, anxiety, or depression most of the time or always during the COVID-19 pandemic. DiscussionStudents should be provided with opportunities to participate in PA to obtain the physical and mental health benefits, especially in the event of a crisis like the pandemic.