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For many individuals the college years are a time of high-risk when they experience the onset of mental or physical health problems. Maintaining adequate levels of vigorous physical activity (VPA) may help to protect against such problems in college and beyond. However, post high school decreases in both organized sports participation and the extent to which individuals identify themselves as an athlete may contribute to many college students engaging in inadequate VPA. It is important to examine whether and why VPA declines when individuals transition from high school to college and how such declines are related to mental and physical health. Participants were 395 college students (286 female and 109 male) at two universities who reported their VPA and sports participation for each year of high school and college and completed several measures assessing their athletic identity and physical and mental health. The participants reported significantly less VPA and sports participation, and a weaker athletic identity in college compared to high school. Those who reported consistent or current engagement in VPA at recommended levels reported better mental and physical health across several variables than their less active peers. The results of this study suggest that college is a time when many individuals cease participating in sports and show a significant decrease in VPA and the extent to which they consider themselves an athlete. Importantly, consistent engagement in VPA may help to protect the mental and physical health of individuals in the college years and beyond.
Research suggests that college students are at high risk for developing mental health problems. For example, a study conducted in 2008 found that over 53% of undergraduate students sampled reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and 11% had considered suicide in the past four weeks (Garlow et al., 2008). College students also appear to be at elevated risk for anxiety disorders, with one study identifying 52.8% as experiencing moderate to high levels of anxiety (Rosenthal & Schreiner, 2000). Another recent study revealed that over 44% of undergraduate students surveyed believed their academic performance had been affected by their mental or emotional health in the past four weeks (Eisenberg, Collusi, Golberstein, & Hefher, 2007). Significantly, researchers have also noted that most chronic mental disorders have an age of onset just...