Exercise,Depression, and Anxiety in Young People: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among adolescents and have multiple negative effects on their physical and mental health. While exercise can reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety, the relationship between mental disorders among American university students has been rarely reported. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the association between exercise, depression and anxiety among American university students in the 2018–2019 academic year. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the association between exercise, depression and anxiety was investigated in a large representative sample of American university students. In the 2018–2019 academic year, university students aged 18+ years old from 79 institutions participated in this school-based study. The questionnaire included measurements of demographic characteristics, exercise, and validated screen instructions for depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7). The multivariable logistic regression model was applied to explore the association between exercise, depression and anxiety. Results: A total of 62026 individuals (31.9% males) participated in this survey, and the prevalence of exercising at least 5 h each day was 24.6%. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was 25.7% and 22.3%, respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression model, compared to exercise at least 5 h daily, participants whose exercise less than 1 h daily (OR = 1.31 [1.29, 1.33], p < 0.05), 2 to 3 h daily (OR = 1.13 [1.11, 1.15], p < 0.05), 3 to 4 h daily (OR = 1.04 [1.02, 1.06], p < 0.05), were correlated with greater odds of depression, while exercise less than 1 h daily (OR = 1.23 [1.21, 1.25], p < 0.05), 2 to 3 h daily (OR = 1.10 [1.08, 1.12], p < 0.05) were significantly correlated with greater odds of anxiety. Conclusion: Higher levels of exercise are associated with lower risk of depression and anxiety among American university students. Community and school interventions should focus on increasing exercise participation in university populations to promote both physical and mental health.