Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences
(1) Background: The relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health remains a topic of significant interest, particularly in populations recovering from COVID-19. This study aimed to examine the differences in PA levels and mental health parameters (anxiety, depression, and stress) acr...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/4/531 |
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| author | Miloš Stamenković Saša Pantelić Saša Bubanj Emilija Petković Bojan Bjelica Nikola Aksović Lazar Toskić Constantin Sufaru Gabriel-Stănică Lupu Daniel-Lucian Dobreci Tatiana Dobrescu Mihai-Adrian Sava |
| author_facet | Miloš Stamenković Saša Pantelić Saša Bubanj Emilija Petković Bojan Bjelica Nikola Aksović Lazar Toskić Constantin Sufaru Gabriel-Stănică Lupu Daniel-Lucian Dobreci Tatiana Dobrescu Mihai-Adrian Sava |
| author_sort | Miloš Stamenković |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: The relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health remains a topic of significant interest, particularly in populations recovering from COVID-19. This study aimed to examine the differences in PA levels and mental health parameters (anxiety, depression, and stress) across sex and age groups following COVID-19 recovery; (2) Methods: The sample of participants (<i>n</i> = 288) was selected using a random sampling method and consisted of participants of different ages and both sexes. Participants’ self-reported PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), while the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) was used to measure negative emotional states. The influence of COVID-19 recovery on PA and mental health (depression, anxiety, stress) was analyzed using MANOVA and follow-up univariate tests by age and sex. Statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> < 0.05, with SPSS (v23.0) used for data analysis; (3) Results: A statistically significant difference was observed between the initial and final measurements in PA levels (Wilk’s Lambda = 0.95; <i>p</i> = 0.000) and mental health (Wilk’s Lambda = 0.96; <i>p</i> = 0.000) with older individuals—particularly women—demonstrating improved PA levels and better mental health outcomes. In contrast, younger women exhibited a decline in both domains, with increased anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms. While younger men showed increased PA, their mental health parameters were slightly elevated, though still within normal ranges; (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that older individuals were better adapted to post-COVID challenges due to maturity and life experience, while younger populations may require additional support. The study underscored the complexity of the PA–mental health relationship and highlighted the need for further research, particularly among younger individuals recovering from COVID-19. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-08f8d314002842e09eb7465d5a0a7b0b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj-art-08f8d314002842e09eb7465d5a0a7b0b2025-08-20T02:18:09ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-03-0115453110.3390/life15040531Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex DifferencesMiloš Stamenković0Saša Pantelić1Saša Bubanj2Emilija Petković3Bojan Bjelica4Nikola Aksović5Lazar Toskić6Constantin Sufaru7Gabriel-Stănică Lupu8Daniel-Lucian Dobreci9Tatiana Dobrescu10Mihai-Adrian Sava11Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, SerbiaFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, SerbiaFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, SerbiaFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, SerbiaFaculty of Physical Education and Sports, University of East Sarajevo, 71126 Lukavica, Bosnia and HerzegovinaFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Priština-Kosovska Mitrovica, 38218 Leposavić, SerbiaFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Priština-Kosovska Mitrovica, 38218 Leposavić, SerbiaFaculty of Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, 600115 Bacău, RomaniaFaculty of Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, 600115 Bacău, RomaniaFaculty of Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, 600115 Bacău, RomaniaFaculty of Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, 600115 Bacău, RomaniaFaculty of Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, 600115 Bacău, Romania(1) Background: The relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health remains a topic of significant interest, particularly in populations recovering from COVID-19. This study aimed to examine the differences in PA levels and mental health parameters (anxiety, depression, and stress) across sex and age groups following COVID-19 recovery; (2) Methods: The sample of participants (<i>n</i> = 288) was selected using a random sampling method and consisted of participants of different ages and both sexes. Participants’ self-reported PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), while the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) was used to measure negative emotional states. The influence of COVID-19 recovery on PA and mental health (depression, anxiety, stress) was analyzed using MANOVA and follow-up univariate tests by age and sex. Statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> < 0.05, with SPSS (v23.0) used for data analysis; (3) Results: A statistically significant difference was observed between the initial and final measurements in PA levels (Wilk’s Lambda = 0.95; <i>p</i> = 0.000) and mental health (Wilk’s Lambda = 0.96; <i>p</i> = 0.000) with older individuals—particularly women—demonstrating improved PA levels and better mental health outcomes. In contrast, younger women exhibited a decline in both domains, with increased anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms. While younger men showed increased PA, their mental health parameters were slightly elevated, though still within normal ranges; (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that older individuals were better adapted to post-COVID challenges due to maturity and life experience, while younger populations may require additional support. The study underscored the complexity of the PA–mental health relationship and highlighted the need for further research, particularly among younger individuals recovering from COVID-19.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/4/531physical activitydepressionanxietystressCOVID-19 recoverydifferences |
| spellingShingle | Miloš Stamenković Saša Pantelić Saša Bubanj Emilija Petković Bojan Bjelica Nikola Aksović Lazar Toskić Constantin Sufaru Gabriel-Stănică Lupu Daniel-Lucian Dobreci Tatiana Dobrescu Mihai-Adrian Sava Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences Life physical activity depression anxiety stress COVID-19 recovery differences |
| title | Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences |
| title_full | Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences |
| title_fullStr | Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences |
| title_short | Physical Activity and Mental Health After COVID-19 Recovery: Age and Sex Differences |
| title_sort | physical activity and mental health after covid 19 recovery age and sex differences |
| topic | physical activity depression anxiety stress COVID-19 recovery differences |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/4/531 |
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