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Physical Activity Is Associated With Better Executive Function in University Students.

ABSTRACT: Introduction: In recent years, the study of the benefits that physical exercise has on brain health has acquired special relevance. In order to implement exercise as an intervention to protect the brain, it is important to have a more clear idea of its effect in the young population. However, few studies have been carried out on these ages.Objective: The main objective of our study was to evaluate the association between physical activity (PA) with memory and executive function, in university students, analyzing the modulatory effect of sex.Methodology: We collected socio-demographic and life habit information, as well as data on the PA that was carried out during the previous week using the international PAquestionnaire short version (IPAQ-SF) questionnaire in 206 university students (mean age 19.55 ± 2.39; 67.5% women). Memory and executive function were assessed using a comprehensive battery of validate cognitive tests. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to correlate PA with cognitive tests scores and to evaluate the potential synergistic role of sex.Results: The main finding was that the total amount of PA correlated positively with several tests that evaluated aspects of executive function, specifically Stroop Colors (Pearson’s r = 0.17; p = 0.01) and the Stroop Test Color–Word (Pearson’s r = 0.15. p = 0.03). These results were adjusted by a large number of possible confounders and modifying variables in a multivariate analysis, like age, sex, academic record, day of the week, and time at which the test was performed. Additionally, we found out that sex had a synergistic effect with PA on the executive test Trail making test-A (TMTA), and in women, this association was stronger than in men. The more PA women reported, the better they performed, that is to say that they took less time to finalize the TMT-A (interaction term between PA and sex: b = ?0.0009; p = 0.014).Conclusion: Our study adds evidence of the benefit of PA in cognition in the young population, specifically in the executive inhibitory control, and more significantly in women.

SUBMITTER: Salas-Gomez D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7040528 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity), domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time), and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health. METHODS:The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years), using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS:Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (? = 0.13; p = <0.001), younger age (? = -0.07; p = 0.024), higher disposable income (? = 0.10; p = 0.001), and better self-rated health (? = 0.30; p = <0.001). No significant association was found between life satisfaction and size of community (p = 0.567), smoking status (p = 0.056), alcohol consumption (p = 0.058), or BMI (p = 0.508). Among all PA variables, only leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (? = 0.06; p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS:This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the relationship between PA and life satisfaction based on total PA levels only may be misleading.

Project description:Risk behaviors and signs of burnout are associated with substantial health losses and university dropouts. Physical activity can be an effective approach to reduce these factors. The objective of this study was to analyze aspects related to health behaviors, physical activity, and signs of burnout in university students and their association with physical activity. The probabilistic cluster sample consisted of 3,578 regularly enrolled undergraduate students from UFPR in Curitiba, based on a population sample of 24,032 university students. The students completed the MBI-SS and NCHA II instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to identify demographic indicators and characteristics of the university environment. For the proportion of subjects with respective confidence intervals (CI = 95%), contingency tables involving the chi-square test (χ2) were used. The prevalence of signs of burnout was estimated in punctual proportions accompanied by the respective confidence intervals (CI = 95%). To analyze the associations between the independent variables and signs of burnout, the Hierarchical Logistic Regression was used through an analysis adjusted by the other independent variables involved in the models (CI = 95%). Results showed that the prevalence of individuals who showed signs of burnout was 40.4%. The hierarchical multiple regression model pointed to: female sex (OR = 1.30; 1.11-1.51); age between 20-24 years (OR = 1.51; 1.25-1.83); and 25-29 years (OR = 1.69; 1.27-2.24); being single (OR = 2.67; 1.01-7.10); presenting regular/poor health perception (OR = 1.59; 1.13-2.22), belonging to Human Sciences courses (OR = 1.37; 1.14-1.64); attending 2nd or 3rd year (OR = 1.34; 1.12-1.61); poor academic performance (OR = 5.35; 4.11-6.96); mean (OR = 2.08; 1.78-2.43). We conclude that academics showed a high prevalence of health risk behaviors and correlate and diagnose emotional problems and signs of burnout. Signs of burnout were significantly associated with the practice of physical activity in its three dimensions; however, in the adjusted analysis for demographic indicators, the characteristics of the university environment, and health behaviors, physical activity was not significant for the model.

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Physical Activity Is Associated With Better Executive Function in University Students.

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