Higher Education Institutions Students' Exercise Habits and Their Self-reported oxidative-stress perception Levels: A Survey-Based Exploratory Study

Exercise habits significantly influence oxidative stress levels among university students, but previous research has often neglected endogeneity issues, leading to biased estimates of these relationships. This cross-sectional study investigated the potential causal relationship between exercise habits and self-reported oxidative-stress perception levels among 1,868 university students from China. Data on exercise habits and self-reported oxidative-stress perception were collected using questionnaires, and both the instrumental variable (IV) approach and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression were employed to address endogeneity concerns. The OLS estimates revealed negative associations between exercise habits and self-reported oxidative-stress perception (β = -0.021, p < .001), while the IV analysis indicated that exercise habits significantly reduced self-reported oxidative-stress perception in the fatigue–recovery dimension (β = -0.035, p < .01). The IV estimates were larger than the OLS estimates, suggesting that traditional regression may underestimate the beneficial effects of exercise habits. Overall, this study provides indicative evidence for a potential causal relationship whereby exercise habits may reduce self-reported oxidative-stress perception levels among university students, offering valuable insights for addressing oxidative stress–related health issues through exercise interventions.