Association analysis of physical activity levels with mental state and quality of life in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A multicenter study

INTRODUCTION: Although the benefits of physical activity are well-recognized, the relationship between it and the psychological state and quality of life of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in China remains unclear. Here, this study explores the association analysis between the level of physical activity in IBD and fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. METHODS: In this multicentre investigative study, clinical data including age, work status, disease duration, disease stage, and bowel manifestations were collected from 321 patients with IBD. Physical activity level, fatigue, psychological status, and quality of life of IBD patients were assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale (FACIT-F), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 items (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Inventory (PHQ-9), and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (IBD-Q), respectively. RESULTS: Of the 321 IBD patients, 57.3% (n = 184) were diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD) and 42.7% (n = 137) with ulcerative colitis (UC). Among the CD patients, 42.93% had a low level of physical activity, 54.89% experienced severe fatigue, 46.20% had varying degrees of anxiety, and 50.0% had depression problems. Additionally, 21.74% reported a poor quality of life. The mean IBD-Q score was 188.09 ± 28.21. The correlation between physical activity level, psychological status, and quality of life was not statistically significant in CD patients. However, in UC patients, physical activity level was correlated with the GAD-7, IBD-Q total scores, affective functioning, and social functioning scores (P = 0.02, P = 0.023, P = 0.012, and P = 0.004, respectively), with higher levels of physical activity associated with lower GAD-7 scores and higher IBD-Q scores. Furthermore, self-fatigue and lack of time were the main reasons preventing patients from participating in physical activities. Aerobic exercise was more accepted and chosen by patients than muscle training and flexibility training. CONCLUSION: IBD has a low overall physical activity level and suffers from varying degrees of fatigue, anxiety, and depression, which affect its quality of life. Higher levels of physical activity are associated with better psychological status and quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to enhance physical activity levels among individuals with IBD.