According to a recently published study, Frontiers of Psychology Physical activity combined with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition has been shown to lead to lower anxiety levels in college students.
Anxiety disorders are a common mental health issue among college students, increasing their risk for conditions such as substance abuse and obesity.
Previous studies have demonstrated that physical activity can help reduce anxiety. Compared to pharmacological treatments, physical activity is a preferred intervention due to its low cost, high compliance, and minimal side effects.
Research suggests that diet and lifestyle habits (such as adequate sleep and regular relaxation) are also closely related to anxiety. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how physical activity, lifestyle habits and dietary nutrients interact to affect anxiety levels.
Researchers Dejuo Sun, Shanfei Zhu and Zhonghan Bao, based at Silpakorn University in Thailand, surveyed 498 undergraduate students (236 men and 262 women, aged 18 to 20) from three universities in China’s Fujian province.
A survey was administered to collect data on demographics, physical activity levels, lifestyle habits, and dietary nutrition. Students were asked a variety of questions, including: “Are you able to exercise more vigorously for 30 minutes at least three times a week?”, “Do you have a set start time each day?”, “Do you consciously choose lighter, less salty foods?”, and “During the past two weeks, have you felt tense, anxious, or motivated?”
Data analysis revealed that both dietary nutrients and lifestyle habits play an important role in mediating the effect of physical activity on anxiety.
Physical activity alone accounted for 36.93% of the reduction in anxiety levels: “Physical exercise is effective in increasing cerebral blood flow, inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and effectively stimulating the central nervous system to reduce anxiety and other negative emotions.”
Moreover, both dietary nutrients and lifestyle factors alone accounted for 24.9% of the total effect.
The proposed mechanism for this is that “a healthy diet provides the body with nutrients that play an important role in the synthesis and regulation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which in turn regulate mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.”
“A regular schedule and sufficient sleep help maintain the body’s internal clock and rhythm, increase the body’s resistance and coping abilities, and reduce stress and anxiety,” the researchers added.
The authors conclude that “when college students face mental health problems such as anxiety, most of them choose self-management and self-healing rather than directly seeking professional counseling or medication. This may be related to the high cost of treatment and low anxiety levels. This makes the conclusion of this study more significant. … This kind of conditioning is not only affordable, but also an important reference for the self-management and rehabilitation of college students with anxiety disorders.”
This study has several limitations that should be noted. The sample was limited to freshmen and sophomores and may not be representative of all college students. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of the data does not allow for causal inferences. The questionnaire used was simplified to prioritize a high response rate, which may have affected the comprehensiveness of the data collected.
the study, “The relationship between physical activity and anxiety in university students: Exploring the mediating role of lifestyle habits and dietary nutritionThe authors of this book are Sun Dezhuo, Zhu Xiangfei, and Bao Zhonghan.
