Currently, the global physical activity guidelines are based on reducing the risk for mental disorders. More physical activity can decrease the risk for depression by up to 45%. Nevertheless, students of medicine and health sciences are more likely to develop a depression or an anxiety disorder and there is inconsistent evidence regarding the association between self-reported physical activity levels and depressive symptoms in adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlates of anxiety, depression and habitual physical activity in medicine and health sciences students. A questionnaire survey method was employed to carry out this research in March 2020. In all, students (n = 174) of medicine and health sciences of Vilnius University were investigated. Based on present study data, 51.7% of the subjects did not get enough regular physical activity in Lithuania. Almost every third student was diagnosed with case-level anxiety and 4.6% of persons were found with case-level depression. The association between the habitual physical activity and anxiety disorder and/or depression prevalence in medicine and health students could not be explained by the total physical activity score (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.9; p = 0.914 and AOR 0.7; p = 0.695) or the separate scores of the components such as work index (AOR 2.8; p = 0.201 and AOR 5.4; p = 0.127), sport index (AOR 0.8; p = 0.711 and AOR 1; p = 0.963), leisure-time index of physical activity (AOR 0.7; p = 0.37 and AOR 0.6; p = 0.541).

Physical activity has been consistently shown to be associated with improved physical health, life satisfaction, cognitive functioning and psychological well-being. Physically active people have less complaints on bad mood, anxiety, emotional stress symptoms, depression and have higher self-confidence. Resilience, as an ability to withstand and rebound from crisis and adversity, has become a conceptual umbrella for protective factors and processes involved in preservation of mental health despite the exposure to adversity that significantly increases the probability for psychopathology. A plethora of protective factors has been identified. These factors have generally been divided into three overarching categories of 1) personal dispositions, 2) family cohesion and 3) external social support from outside the family. The aim of this study was to analize the impact physical activity has on resilience to mental disorders as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety. Two questionnaires were used: 1. Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), which consisted of the 6 factors: (1) Perception of self, (2) Planned future, (3) Social competence, (4) Structured style, (5) Family cohesion and (6) Social resources. 2. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a self-assessment screening questionnaire and provides information on the potential presence as well as the severity of anxiety and/or depression disorders. Two groups of female students were tested twice using RSA and HADS scales. The main group consisted of 75 female students (age 19-24) attending fitness aerobics workouts (2 months, 2 times per week for 1 hour). In order to determine possible changes 37 participants were retested. 28 female students serving as a control group (not engaged in regular aerobics) were tested twice with an interval of 2 months. In the main group the overall mean score of RSA increased (180.35 to 185.35 (p= 0.061)). The overall mean as well as separate anxiety and depression scores of the HADS measure decreased. A tendency opposite to changes in the aerobic group was observed in the control group. The overall mean score of RSA decreased (185.17 to 182.88 (p= 0.342)). Decrease in resilience scores was led by an increase in the overall mean and separate anxiety and depression scores of the HADS measure. Results observed suggest regular physical acitivity to have a positive effect on resilience lead by a decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms.