Racial Disparities In The Protective Effects Of Leisure Time Physical Activity On Mental Health Outcomes

Background: There is substantial evidence to support that physical activity (PA) has been shown to positively impact mental health outcomes such as perceived stress and depression. There are disparities in reported levels of PA. Minority groups report lower levels of leisure time PA than NH whites. Among college aged individuals, there are still low adherence levels to the physical activity guidelines and increasingly poorer reported mental health outcomes. The current study examines if there are disparities in PA participation levels by race, and then investigates the relationship between types of leisure time PA and mental health outcomes separated by race in college students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on students enrolled in a large northeastern university in general education classes from August 2018 through February 2022. Students self-reported race/ethnicity, physical activity, perceived stress, depression symptoms, health satisfaction, GPA, and employment. Bivariate correlations, One-Way ANOVAs, and Chi Squared tests were used to examine relationships between types of physical activity and perceived stress, depression, and other mental health outcomes. Results: Most participants (n = 3076 aged 20.58 ± 2.461 years) identified as non-Hispanic White (71.8%) and female (54.1%). There were significant differences in PA participation (MPA: F = 3.175, p = 0.013, ST: F = 2.62, p = 0.033), the proportion meeting PA recommendations, and reported mental health outcomes by race (p ≤ 0.044). NH White students reported higher levels of strength training (p = 0.033), better mental health outcomes (p ≤ 0.029), and were most likely to report meeting adequate physical activity guidelines (ᵡ2 = 14.983, p = 0.005). There were significant differences in the relationships between PA and mental health outcomes by race. Conclusions: There are disparities between racial groups in the participation of physical activity and the meeting of exercise recommendations in the college population. There are also disparities in the protective effects of PA on mental health outcomes. Further research is needed on the different barriers to physical activity for different racial groups.