The relationship between physical activity and mindful awareness of university students

Background and Study Aim. University students often face high levels of stress and mental health issues. These challenges can negatively affect their academic performance and overall well-being. Physical activity and mindfulness may offer benefits, but there is limited research on their relationship in students. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between physical activity status and mindful awareness in university students, considering their gender groups and smoking status. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted using the relational screening method, a quantitative research design. The research population comprised associate and undergraduate students enrolled at public universities in Turkey. Of the 830 participants selected at random, 60.3% were women (n=499) and 39.7% (n=331) were men. The data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). As the Shapiro-Wilk test indicated that the data were not normally distributed, the subsequent analyses employed the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rho correlation analysis. Results. The mean age of participants was 22.0±4.5 years. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 22.1±3.4 kg/m². The rate of physically inactive/sedentary students was 18.2%. The rate of students with low physical activity levels was 50.1%. The rate of students with sufficient physical activity levels was 31.7%. The total physical activity (PA) score was 2046 MET-min/week. The largest contribution to the total score came from walking activity. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) score was found to be normal, with a mean of 59.2±12.5. The mindfulness score was positively related to vigorous physical activity. It was negatively related to sitting time. Conclusions. The findings suggest that increasing physical activity, particularly vigorous exercise, can positively impact mindfulness. Additionally, reducing sedentary behavior might further support the improvement of mindful awareness among university students. These results highlight the importance of incorporating physical activity programs into student lifestyles to promote mental well-being.