Date Approved
2021
Degree Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department or School
Health Promotion and Human Performance
Committee Member
Catherine Gammon, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Chris Herman, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Joan Cowdery, Ph.D.
Abstract
Young adults (18-24 years) are only slightly older than adolescents but are encouraged to follow adult physical activity (PA) guidelines. PA guidelines for adults do not specifically recommend regular vigorous-intensity PA (VPA), unlike guidelines for adolescents. This thesis aimed to conduct a systematic review to ascertain the influence of VPA on anxiety, body mass index [BMI], and blood pressure [BP] in young adults. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, CINHAL, and MEDLINE. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 21 studies were reviewed (6 for anxiety, 10 for BMI, 8 for BP). The reviewed studies indicate that VPA can reduce BMI and BP in young adults (although the findings were heterogeneous). The effect of VPA on anxiety was unclear. Evidence on the benefits of VPA for young adults is limited and the findings are inconsistent. Further research is needed to determine whether VPA should be specifically recommended to young adults.
Recommended Citation
Aldarwish, Fatimah, "What is the relationship between vigorous physical activity and physical and mental health indicators in young adults?" (2021). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 1099.
https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1099