ABSTRACT
Background: Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, improve mood, and enhance cognitive function, including alertness. Existing studies have primarily focused on Western populations leaving a knowledge gap regarding applicability of these findings to African context.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation among physical activity, anxiety, depression and alertness of undergraduates of the University of Benin.
Method: This study utilized a cross-sectional design involving 394 respondents. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) Short Form, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) were used for data collection. Inferential statistics, including Spearman's rank correlation, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests, were applied. Alpha level was set at P < 0.05.
Result: The results revealed that more than average of the participants reported moderate levels of physical activity (219, 55.6%), minimal anxiety (168, 42.6%), minimal depression (240, 60.9%), and normal alertness (248, 62.9%). The Mann-Whitney U test indicated a significant difference in physical activity levels between male and female undergraduates (P<0.05). However, Spearman's rank correlation showed no significant association between physical activity, depression, anxiety, or alertness.
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed no significant correlation among physical activity, anxiety, depression and alertness of undergraduates of the University of Benin. However, there was a significant difference in physical activity levels between male and female undergraduates, while no significant difference in the levels of anxiety and depression between male and female undergraduates There was a significant correlation between anxiety, depression and alertness. There was a significant difference in the levels of anxiety, depression and alertness across the levels of study.
Keywords: Physical activity, depression, anxiety, alertness, undergraduates.
