The Association Between Physical Activity Levels, Depressions, Stress and Anxiety among students of University North

Abstract

Uvod: suvremeni stil života, osobito među studentskom populacijom, karakterizira nedostatak tjelesne aktivnosti i sve izraženiji sjedilački način života. Takav način života povezuje se s porastom učestalosti mentalnih tegoba poput anksioznosti, stresa i depresije. Povećana zastupljenost tehnologije dodatno potiče pasivnost i smanjuje socijalne interakcije. Sve to negativno utječe na psihofizičko zdravlje studenata. Cilj završnog rada bio je utvrditi može li tjelesna aktivnost imati zaštitni učinak na mentalno zdravlje mladih odraslih osoba. Metode istraživanja: U istraživačkom dijelu korišten je anketni upitnik koji je uključivao standardiziranu Skalu depresije, anksioznosti i stresa (Syd i Peter Lovibond, 1995.) te upitnik o razini tjelesne aktivnosti (WHO, 1998.). Uzorak je uključivao studente Sveučilišta Sjever u Varaždinu, a prikupljeni podaci obrađeni su kako bi se ispitala međusobna povezanost promatranih varijabli. Rezultati: Uočena je značajna povezanost između razine tjelesne aktivnosti i simptoma depresije, stresa i anksioznosti. Studenti s višom razinom tjelesne aktivnosti imali su značajno niže vrijednosti depresije, anksioznosti i stresa. Rasprava: Dobiveni rezultati u skladu su s istraživanjima Jian Guo (2025.), koji potvrđuju zaštitni učinak tjelesne aktivnosti na mentalno zdravlje. Također, nalazi se podudaraju s istraživanjem od Stubbs i sur. (2017.) koji navode da i tjelesna aktivnost može značajno smanjiti simptome depresije. Istraživanje dodatno potvrđuje važnost integriranja tjelesne aktivnosti u studentski život kao oblik prevencije mentalnih poteškoća.Introduction: The modern lifestyle, especially among the student population, is characterized by a lack of physical activity and an increasingly sedentary way of life. Such a lifestyle is associated with a rise in the prevalence of mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression. The increased presence of technology further encourages passivity and reduces social interactions. All of this negatively affects the psychophysical health of students. The aim of this thesis was to determine whether physical activity can have a protective effect on the mental health of young adults. Research Methods: In the research section, a survey questionnaire was used, which included the standardized Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (Syd and Peter Lovibond, 1995) as well as a questionnaire on the level of physical activity (WHO, 1998). The sample included students from the University North in Varaždin, and the collected data were processed to examine the interrelationship between the observed variables. Results: A significant correlation was observed between the level of physical activity and symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. Students with a higher level of physical activity had significantly lower scores of depression, anxiety, and stress. Discussion: The obtained results are consistent with the research by Jian Guo (2025), which confirms the protective effect of physical activity on mental health. The findings also align with the study by Stubbs et al. (2017), which states that physical activity can significantly reduce symptoms of depression. This research further confirms the importance of integrating physical activity into student life as a form of prevention of mental health issues