The Relationship between Exercise and Psychotic Symptoms in College Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

An increasing number of studies have suggested that increased physical activity is associated with less mental illness. However, the relationship between exercise and psychotic experiences (PEs) is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between exercise and PEs in college students in the United States. Data from the Health Mind Survey (2020-2021 round) were analyzed. Respondents included 137,916 college students who were asked about exercise and PEs (lifetime psychotic experiences, delusions, and hallucinations). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between exercise and PEs while controlling for demographic characteristics. There was a significant correlation between exercise and PEs among college students. Compared to students who exercised less than one hour per week, students who exercised five or more hours per week had fewer lifetime psychotic experiences. This same finding obtained for both male and female college students. The findings from the present study indicate that exercising for five or more hours each week is most correlated with decreased PEs among college students. However, experimental studies are required to extend and confirm our findings and determine the causality of this relationship.