The relationship between mental health and physical activity: a case study of Malaysian sport studies students / Muhammad Azli Mohd Saadan and Aida Roha Abdul Rasid

Stress, derived from the Latin term meaning "tense" or "uncertain," is a response to demands on mental and physical health, which, if prolonged, can negatively impact overall well-being [1,2]. Encouraging physical activity is crucial to mitigating stress-related conditions in students by improving their physical, mental, and emotional health. Stress also impairs attention, memory, and cognitive abilities, leading to difficulties in learning and reduced academic success [3]. Mental health levels were assessed using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Physical activity involvement was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), evaluating self-reported activity over seven days. A non-experimental, quantitative approach was used, with 362 respondents from UiTM Seremban 3 selected through convenience sampling to explore association between mental health and physical activity.