Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Research article

Relationship between different domains of physical activity and positive mental health among young adult men

Authors: Kaija Appelqvist-Schmidlechner, Jani P. Vaara, Tommi Vasankari, Arja Häkkinen, Matti Mäntysaari, Heikki Kyröläinen

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2020

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

There is growing evidence on positive effects of physical activity (PA) on mental health. However, the focus of previous research on this relationship has typically been on mental health from the perspective of mental health problems rather than from the perspective of mental wellbeing. Further, previous research has commonly focused rather on leisure time PA without evidence on the role of other domains of PA. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between positive mental health (PMH) and different domains of PA in young Finnish men. The secondary aim was to examine the reasons for physical inactivity among individuals with a low level of PMH.

Methods

Positive mental health (measured with Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, SWEMWBS), self-reported leisure time, occupational and commuting PA as well as reasons for physical inactivity were measured using questionnaires (n = 456, mean age 29 years) among young Finnish males. Logistic regression modelling was used to generate odds for low and high levels of positive mental health for different levels of PA and sociodemographic variables.

Results

A weak positive association between leisure time PA and PMH was found in men with a low level of PMH (OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.13–0.86). No association was found in the domains of commuting and occupational PA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed lower level of leisure time PA, unemployment and being single independently predicting low level of PMH. No associations were found between any domains of PA and high level of PMH. The most common reasons for physical inactivity among men with a low level of PMH were lack of interest (28%) and unwillingness to practise sports alone (27%).

Conclusions

The relationship between physical activity and positive mental health seems to vary between different domains of physical activity. The findings highlight the important role of leisure time physical activity, particularly in men with a low level of positive mental health. Strategies aimed at increasing physical activity for mental health benefits should focus particularly on providing opportunities for leisure time physical activity involving social interactions for men with lower mental wellbeing.
Literature
1.
2.
Mammen G, Faulkner G. Physical activity and prevention of depression. A systematic review of prospective studies. Am J Prev Med. 2013;45(5):649–57.PubMedCrossRef
3.
4.
5.
Bennie J, Teychenne M, De Cocker K, Biddle S. Associations between aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise with depressive symptom severity among 17,839 U-S adults. Prev Med. 2019;21:121–7.CrossRef
6.
Chekroud S, Gueorguieva R, Zheutlin A, Paulus M, Krumholz H, Krystal J, et al. Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1.2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(9):739–46.PubMedCrossRef
7.
Choi K, Chen C, Sein M, Klimentidis Y, Wang M, Koenen K, et al. Assessment of bidirectional relationships between physical activity and depression among adults: a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(4):399–408.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
8.
Dogra S, MacIntosh L, O’Neil C, D’Silva C, Shearer H, Smith K, et al. The association of physical activity with depression and stress among post-secondary school students: a systematic review. Ment Health Phys Act. 2018;14:146–56.CrossRef
9.
Kettunen O, Kyröläinen H, Santila M, Vasankari T. Physical fitness and volume of leisure time physical activity relate with low stress and high mental resources in young men. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2014;54:545–51.PubMed
10.
McDowell CP, Dishman RK, Gordon BR, Herring MP. Physical activity and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Am J Prev Med. 2019;57(4):545–56.PubMedCrossRef
11.
12.
Schuch F, Vancampfort D, Richards J, Rosenbaum S, Ward P, Stubbs B. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res. 2016;77:42–51.PubMedCrossRef
13.
14.
White R, Parker P, Lubans D, MacMillan F, Olson R, Astell-Burt T, et al. Domain-specific physical activity and affective wellbeing among adolescents: an observational study of the moderating roles of autonomous and controlled motivation. Int J Beh Nutr Phys Act. 2018;115(1):87. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1186/​s12966-018-0722-0.CrossRef
15.
16.
Antonovsky A. The salutogenic model as a theory to guide health promotion. Health Prom Int. 1996;11(1):11–8.CrossRef
17.
18.
Keyes C. The mental health continuum: from languishing to flourishing in life. J Health Soc Beh. 2002;43(2):207–22.CrossRef
19.
Keyes C, Eisenberg D, Perry G, Dube S, Kroenke K, Dhingra S. The relationship of level of positive mental health with current mental disorders in predicting suicidal behavior and academic impairment in college students. J Am College Health. 2012;60(2):126–33.CrossRef
20.
Keyes C. The nexus of cardiovascular disease and depression revisited: the complete mental health perspective and the moderating role of age and gender. Aging Ment Health. 2004;8:266–74.PubMedCrossRef
21.
Keyes C. Mental illness and/or mental health? Investigating axioms of the complete state model of health. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2005;73(3):539–48.PubMedCrossRef
22.
Mason P, Curl A, Kearns A. Domains and levels of physical activity are linked to adult mental health and well-being in deprived neighbourhoods: a cross-sectional study. Ment Health Phys Act. 2016;11:19–28.CrossRef
23.
Cerin E, Leslie E, Sugiyama T, Owen N. Associations of multiple physical activity domains with mental well-being. Ment Health Phys Act. 2019;2:55–64.CrossRef
24.
25.
26.
Ohta M, Mizoue T, Mishima N, Ikeda M. Effects of the physical activities in leisure time and commuting to work on mental health. J Occup Health. 2007;49(1):46–52.PubMedCrossRef
27.
White R, Babic M, Parker P, Lubans D, Astell-Burt T, Lonsdale C. Domain-specific physical activity and mental health: a meta-analysis. Am J Prev Med. 2017;52(5):653–66.PubMedCrossRef
28.
Peluso MAM, Guerra De Andrade LHS. Physical activity and mental health: the association between exercise and mood. Clinics. 2005;60(1):61–70..
29.
Bakir Y, Kangalgil M. The effects of sport on the level of positivity and well-being in adolescents engaged in sport regularly. J Educ Train Stud. 2017;5(11):98–104.CrossRef
30.
Shaikh S, Ansari M, Sheeraz B, Kalhoro Z. Quality of life and mental health among university students: a comparison of sports participants and non-participants. Res J Phys Educ Sports Sci. 2016;11:1–11.
31.
Dore I, O’Loughlin J, Schnitzer M, Dattta G, Fournier L. The longitudinal association between the context of physical activity and mental health in early adulthood. Ment Health Phys Act. 2018;14:121–30.CrossRef
32.
Black S, Cooper R, Martin K, Brage S, Kuh D, Stattford M. Physical activity and mental well-being in a cohort aged 60-64 years. Am J Prev Med. 2015;49(2):172–80.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
33.
34.
35.
Ng Fat L, Mindell J, Boniface S, Stewart-Brown S. Evaluating and establishing national norms for the short Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale (SWEMWBS) using the health survey for England. Qual Life Res. 2016;26(5):1129–44.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
36.
37.
Stubbs B, Firth J, Berry A, Schuch FB, Rosenbaum S, Gaughran F, Veronesse N, Williams J, Craig T, Yung AR, Vancampfort D. How much physical activity do people with schizophrenia engage in? A systematic review, comparative meta-analysis and meta-regression. Schizophr Res. 2016: Published online 31 May 2016. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​schres.​2016.​05.​017.
38.
Wheeler AJ, McKenna B, Madell D. Stereotypes do not always apply: findings from a survey of the health behaviours of mental health consumers compared with the general population in New Zealand. NZ Med J. 2013;126(1385):35–46.
39.
Van Uffelen JGZ, Khan A, Burton NW. Gender differences in physical activity motivators and context preferences: a population-based study in people in their sixties. BMC Public Health. 2017;17:624.
40.
Phongsavan P, McLean G, Bauman A. Gender differences in influences of perceived environmental and psychosocial correlates on recommended level of physical activity among new Zealanders. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2007;8(6):939–50.CrossRef
41.
DeWolfe CEJ, Watt MC, Romero-Sanchiz P, Stewart SH. Gender differences in physical activity are partially explained by anxiety sensitivity in post-secondary students. J Am College Health. 2020;68(3):1–4.
42.
Asztalos M, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Gardon G. The relationship between physical activity and mental health varies across activity intensity levels and dimensions of mental health among women and men. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13:1207–14.PubMedCrossRef
43.
World Health Organization. Gender and Mental Health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002.
44.
Tennant R, Hiller L, Fishwick R, Platt S, Joseph S, Weich S, et al. The Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale (WEMWBS): development and UK validation. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2007;5:63.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
45.
Stewart-Brown S, Tennant A, Tennant R, Platt S, Parkinson J, Weich S. Internal construct validity of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being-Scale (WEMWBS): a Rasch analysis using data from the Scottish Health Education Population Survey. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2009;7(15). https://​doi.​org/​10.​1186/​1477-7525-7-15.
46.
Fogelholm M, Malmberg J, Suni J, Santtila M, Kyröläinen H, Mäntysaari M, et al. International physical activity questionnaire: validity against fitness. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;38(4):753–60.PubMedCrossRef
47.
Kurtze N, Rangul V, Hustvedt BE, Flanders WD. Reliability and validity of self-reported physical activity in the Nord-Trøndelag health study (HUNT 2). Eur J Epidemiol. 2007;22(6):379–87.PubMedCrossRef
48.
Evenson KR, McGinn AP. Test-retest reliability of adult surveillance measures for physical activity and inactivity. Am J Prev Med. 2005;28(5):470–8.PubMedCrossRef
49.
Barengo NC, Kastarinen M, Lakka T, Nissinen A, Tuomilehto J. Different forms of physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors among 24-64-year-old men and women in Finland. Eur J Cardiov Prev Reh. 2006;13(1):51–9.
50.
Aaltonen S, Leskinen T, Alen M, Kaprio J, Liukkonen J, Kujala UM. Motives for and barriers to physical activity in twin Paris discordant for leisure time physicl activity for 30 years. Int J Sports Med. 2012;33:157–63.PubMedCrossRef
51.
Taggart F, Stewart-Brown S, Parkinson J. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). User Guide (Version 2). Edinburgh: NHS Health Scotland, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick; 2016.
52.
Paluska S, Schwenk T. Physical activity and mental health: current concepts. Sports Med. 2000;29(3):167–80.PubMedCrossRef
53.
54.
Mummery K, Schofield G, Caperchione C. Physical activity: physical activity dose-response effects on mental health status in older adults. Austr NZ Publ Heal. 2004;28(2):188–92.CrossRef
55.
56.
57.
58.
Appelqvist-Schmidlechner K, Upanne M, Henriksson M, Parkkola K, Stengård E. Young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service in Finland – a group of men in need of psycho-social support. Scand J Public Health. 2010;38:168–76.PubMedCrossRef
59.
Craig R, Mindell J, Hirani V. Editors. Health survey for England 2008: volume 1 - physical activity and fitness. National Centre for social research and UCL medical school. Leeds: NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care; 2009.
Metadata
Title
Relationship between different domains of physical activity and positive mental health among young adult men
Authors
Kaija Appelqvist-Schmidlechner
Jani P. Vaara
Tommi Vasankari
Arja Häkkinen
Matti Mäntysaari
Heikki Kyröläinen
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09175-6

Other articles of this Issue 1/2020

BMC Public Health 1/2020 Go to the issue

Research article

Incidence, cost and gender differences of oropharyngeal and noncervical anogenital cancers in South Korea

Research article

Increasing similarities between young adults’ smoking and snus use in Norway: a study of the trends and stages of smoking and snus epidemic from 2010 to 2018

Research article

Effects of a transtheoretical model - based intervention and motivational interviewing on the management of depression in hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trial

Research Article

Investigating the spatial variation and risk factors of childhood anaemia in four sub-Saharan African countries

Research article

Neighbourhood environment and dementia in older people from high-, middle- and low-income countries: results from two population-based cohort studies

Research article

Working conditions mediate the association between social class and physical function in older age in Sweden: a prospective cohort study