Association between physical activity and positive mental health in medical students in Mexico: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the relationship between the practice of physical activity and positive aspects of medical students' mental health in Mexico. This was a cross-sectional study that applied randomized sampling, and data from 190 students, with a mean age of 19.0 ±1.4 years, from the first and second grades of a medical school in Mexico City were analyzed. The questionnaire comprised scales to assess students' satisfaction with life, resilience, selfconcept, and engagement, as well as the IPAQ that evaluates their practice of physical activity. Descriptive, comparative, and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out. A significant association was found between students' levels of physical activity, their satisfaction with life (B = -1.64, IC95% = -2.90, -0.38, p =. 011) and their resilience skills (B = -2.41, IC95% = -3.87, -0.95, p =. 001), controlling for sociodemographic factors. Physical activity had a significant association with positive aspects of Mexican medical students' mental health; thus, interventions aimed at improving physical activity practice can be designed and utilized not only in the treatment and prevention of mental disorders but also to promote mental health among this population.