Common mental disorders and physical activity levels in college students during COVID-19 pandemic

College students are potentially more vulnerable to stress and psychological distress, particularly during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of common mental disorders (CMD) and assess physical activity levels of college students during COVID-19 pandemic. We compared physical activity levels between students with and without CMD.

Two hundred and fifty-six students aged 18–58 years participated in this study. The participants completed the Self-Report Questionnaire-20 and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form, for CMD and physical activity levels, respectively.

We observed 56.6% of students had CMD, which was significantly higher in women (63.8%). Most students were sedentary (43%). Moreover, those with CMD showed significantly high sedentary behavior, and low frequency and intensity in walking and vigorous physical activities.

Implications imposed by COVID-19 pandemic and remote teaching possibly influenced these findings, increasing CMD symptoms and decreasing physical activity levels in college students. Thus, more studies are needed to understand the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and remote teaching in this population.