The Association between Physical Activity Status and Mental Wellbeing among Overweight and Obese Female University Students

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is essential in fighting obesity, and it may also improve one’s mental wellbeing. Nonetheless, the association between PA and mental wellbeing among female university students with non-ideal body mass index (BMI) is still fragmented. Hence, this study aims to determine the association between PA status and mental wellbeing among overweight and obese female students in a university in Malaysia’s East region. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 overweight and obese female students. An online survey of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Acreda Scale (WEMWBS-ACREDA) was distributed using convenience sampling and analyzed. Results: The results show that 43.2% of the participants have a high and 18.6% have a low PA level. Meanwhile, the finding revealed that the majority of the participants have a moderate state of mental wellbeing (59.8%). Additionally, physical activity levels were found to be a significant predictor of mental wellbeing in overweight and obese female university students (ᵝ = 0.341, p 0.001). Conclusion: This study proposed that PA may influence the mental wellbeing of female university students with non-ideal BMI. Therefore, incorporating more physical-related activities into their learning objectives may promote a better quality of life during their campus life.