Relationship between physical activity and mental health in college students: a narrative review

Abstract

Physical activity is intrinsically linked to the education of young people. Therefore, it should play a relevant role in the university experience of each student, since it not only increases their academic performance, but is also fundamental to achieve an optimal quality of life. The purpose of this inquiry was to determine the relationship between physical activity and mental well-being in college students through a qualitative and descriptive narrative review. The exploration and identification of studies was carried out in the following digital databases: Medline, PubMed, Scielo and Science Direct, taking into account a span of up to five years of reference. Consequently, 13 articles were chosen that demonstrate the correlation between physical activity and mental well-being, in addition to the specific study of both variables. The findings of this study corroborate the existing connection between physical activity and mental health in college students. Longitudinal studies are suggested to better understand the long-term effects of physical activity on mental well-being and to examine how specific factors such as motivation, gender, and social dynamics influence this relationship.