• Isabelle Doré, Jennifer L O'Loughlin, Guy Beauchamp, Marc Martineau, and Louise Fournier.
• Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada; Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health (ESPUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qc, Canada. Electronic address: isabelle.dore@umontreal.ca.
• Prev Med. 2016 Oct 1; 91: 344-350.

AbstractThere is growing interest in physical activity (PA) to prevent mental disorders in youth. However, few studies examine the association between PA and mental health. Further, how PA volume and context relate to mental health and mental disorders remains unclear, especially among youth in transition to adulthood. This study examined the cross-sectional associations among PA volume and context, mental health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression in post-secondary students. A total of 1527 post-secondary students (97.4% were age 16-24years) recruited in a CEGEP in Quebec, Canada completed a self-report questionnaire during class-time in October 2013. Multivariate linear regression was used to model the associations between PA volume and context and mental health, anxiety and depression controlling for sex, age and perceived socioeconomic status. Volume of moderate-to-vigorous leisure time PA (MVPA) was positively associated with mental health (β (95% CI)=0.072 (0.045, 0.099)) and inversely associated with symptoms of anxiety (-0.011 (-0.020, -0.001)) and depression (-0.010 (-0.017, -0.003)). Volume including all PA intensities was associated with mental health (0.052 (0.028, 0.076)). After controlling for PA volume, active youth involved in team sports had better mental health than those who engaged in PA individually. PA volume and the social context of PA are independently associated with mental health among youth. MVPA is inversely associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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