Association between physical activity and affects in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted physical and mental health worldwide. It is essential to continue exploring the population’s psychological manifestations and the pandemic’s impact on lifestyles (physical activity, quality of sleep). Objective. This research aimed to describe the relationship between affect (positive and negative) and physical activity (PA) in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on health sciences students from three universities in Mexico and Colombia. PA was assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S), and affects were measured using the PANAS index. A logistic regression model was used to assess the association between PA and affect. Results. We included 430 participants between 16 and 40 years. We found no differences between the male and female participants regarding age, weight (BMI), PA, or the number of hours of sitting per day. The monthly consumption of alcohol and tobacco was more frequent in males (p