Association Analyses of Physical Fitness Parameters and Anxiety Symptoms in Chinese College Students

Jianjun Yin (), Lingfeng Kong and Yufei Cui ()
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Jianjun Yin: Department of Physical Education, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Guangzhou 510320, China
Lingfeng Kong: Department of Physical Education, Hohai University, 1 Xikang Road, Nanjing 210098, China
Yufei Cui: Department of Physical Education, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an 223003, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Poor physical fitness is related to many negative health outcomes, including mental disorders. However, the relationship between physical fitness and anxiety symptoms among college students remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated whether physical fitness is related to anxiety symptoms in Chinese college students. Cross-sectional data were collected from 6635 men and 4482 women. Physical fitness was measured via a 50-m sprint, a sit-and-reach test, vital capacity, and a standing long jump for both sexes; 1000-m run and pull-up tests for males; and 800-m run and sit-up tests for females. The seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) was used to evaluate anxiety symptoms. Multivariate linear regression showed that better physical fitness was related to lower GAD-7 scores. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that better ability in the 50-m sprint, sit-and-reach test, pull-up test, and vital capacity was related with a lower risk of anxiety symptoms in males, and better ability in the 800-m run and standing long jump was related with a lower risk of anxiety symptoms in females. In conclusion, physical fitness was inversely associated with anxiety symptoms in male and female college students. This association was also independent of confounding factors.

Keywords: physical fitness; anxiety; college students; epidemiological study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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