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Healthcare
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The Role of Physical Exercises in Students’ Health
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The Role of Physical Exercises in Students’ Health

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Public Health and Preventive Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1755

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fernanda M. Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Sport Physical Activity and Health Research & Innovation Center, SPRINT, 2040-413 Santarém, Portugal
2. School of Education and Communication, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Interests: physical activity; exercise; sedentary behavior; health promotion; diabetes; lung function
Prof. Dr. Pedro Alexandre Duarte-Mendes

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Sport & Well Being, Polytechnic University of Castelo Branco, 6000-084 Castelo Branco, Portugal
Interests: sports and health sciences; exercise science; physical activity; sedentary behaviour; motor imagery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Daniel Castillo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Valoración del Rendimiento Deportivo, Actividad Física y Salud y Lesiones Deportivas (REDAFLED), Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education, University of Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Interests: physical performance; external loads; training-related fatigue; match load monitoring; contextual factors; sports injuries; team sports
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ricardo Minhalma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education and Communication, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Interests: physical actitivies; cardiopulmonary exercise tests; cardiovascular health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical exercise is widely recognized as a key factor in promoting health and fostering healthy lifestyle habits, particularly among children and adolescents, who are in critical developmental periods. Regular exercise can help prevent and manage non-communicable diseases, enhance resilience to mental health difficulties, and support both physical and cognitive functioning. Given these well-established benefits, the World Health Organization has identified the promotion of exercise and overall physical activity as a global public health priority.

Despite this, many students across educational levels do not achieve the recommended amounts of physical activity. Data on adolescents are particularly concerning, with global estimates indicating that approximately 81% of those aged 11–17 years are physically inactive. Furthermore, research shows that activity levels tend to decline, particularly among adolescents and university students, during periods of increased academic pressure, such as assignment deadlines and examination periods. These pressures may increase students’ vulnerability to physical deconditioning and contribute to a greater risk of mental health problems. Collectively, these patterns underscore the need for stronger strategies to promote physical exercise within educational settings, recognizing its central role in supporting students’ physical and psychological well-being. This Special Issue aims to contribute to this effort by presenting current evidence and emerging perspectives on the role of physical exercise in students’ health.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Effects of different types and intensities of exercise on students’ physical and mental health and well-being;
  • Exercise-based approaches for cardiometabolic health promotion and disease prevention in young populations;
  • Exercise interventions in school or university settings;
  • Behavioral and psychological determinants of exercise participation;
  • Innovative technologies and artificial intelligence applications for optimizing exercise programs for students.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Fernanda M. Silva
Prof. Dr. Pedro Alexandre Duarte-Mendes
Prof. Dr. Daniel Castillo
Prof. Dr. Ricardo Minhalma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • exercise
  • health promotion
  • well-being
  • educational settings
  • school-based interventions

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 261 KB  
Article
Co-Occurrence of Lifestyle Risk Behaviors Among Physical Education and Sport University Students: Evidence from a Cluster Analysis
by Vanessa Santos, Joana Serpa, Mariana Parreira, Vanda Correia and Priscila Marconcin
Healthcare 2026, 14(9), 1145; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14091145 - 24 Apr 2026
Viewed by 220
Abstract
Background: Health-related behaviors often cluster during young adulthood, potentially increasing the risk of long-term adverse health outcomes. Understanding how lifestyle risk behaviors co-occur among university students is essential for developing targeted health promotion strategies. Objective: This study aimed to identify lifestyle [...] Read more.
Background: Health-related behaviors often cluster during young adulthood, potentially increasing the risk of long-term adverse health outcomes. Understanding how lifestyle risk behaviors co-occur among university students is essential for developing targeted health promotion strategies. Objective: This study aimed to identify lifestyle risk profiles among university students based on the co-occurrence of smoking behavior, alcohol consumption, sedentary behavior, and body weight status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 147 university students enrolled in a physical education and sport undergraduate program (mean age: 20.58 ± 2.94 years; 80.3% male). Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), while smoking and alcohol consumption were self-reported. Body mass index was used to classify weight status. Lifestyle risk profiles were identified using two-step cluster analysis based on regular smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary behavior, and overweight/obesity. Differences in cluster distribution according to sex and federated athlete status were examined using chi-square tests. A two-step cluster analysis based on the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) and silhouette measure was used to identify lifestyle risk profiles. Results: Overall, 46.9% of participants had experimented with tobacco, 11.6% were current smokers, and 74.8% reported alcohol consumption. Participants accumulated an average of 3772.25 ± 1957.99 MET-min/week of physical activity. Three distinct lifestyle risk profiles were identified. Cluster 1 (46.9%), labeled the alcohol profile, was characterized by alcohol consumption without smoking and no prevalence of being overweight. Cluster 2 (20.4%), the multiple-risk profile, included participants who reported regular smoking, with nearly half presenting sedentary behavior and overweight/obesity. Cluster 3 (32.7%), the overweight profile, was characterized by overweight/obesity combined with alcohol consumption but no smoking. No significant differences were observed in the distribution of lifestyle profiles according to sex (p = 0.111) or federated athlete status (p = 0.087). Conclusions: Lifestyle risk behaviors cluster into distinct profiles among university students, with alcohol consumption appearing across multiple profiles and smoking concentrated in a specific high-risk group. These findings highlight the need for targeted health promotion strategies addressing multiple co-occurring behaviors within university populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Exercises in Students’ Health)
15 pages, 291 KB  
Article
Beyond Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness: A Comprehensive Scale for Basic Psychological Needs and Novelty in Exercise
by Vera Bártolo, Miguel Jacinto, Nuno Amaro, Raúl Antunes, Rui Matos, Nuno Couto, Luís Cid, Pedro Duarte-Mendes, Filipe Rodrigues and Diogo Monteiro
Healthcare 2026, 14(8), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14080995 - 10 Apr 2026
Viewed by 708
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study aimed to translate and validate the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS), including the Novelty dimension, within the Portuguese exercise context. Given the emerging evidence of novelty as a potential candidate for a basic [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study aimed to translate and validate the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS), including the Novelty dimension, within the Portuguese exercise context. Given the emerging evidence of novelty as a potential candidate for a basic psychological need, this research examined the psychometric properties and temporal stability. Furthermore, this study explored the nomological validity of these constructs regarding exercise enjoyment and satisfaction with life. Methods: The sample comprised 500 gym-goers (263 females; 237 males), aged between 18 and 65 years (M = 33.76; SD = 12.94). Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling were employed to compare the factor structure. Temporal stability was assessed through a test–retest procedure with a four-week interval (n = 50). Results: Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling provided a superior fit to the data (CFI = 0.98; TLI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.04) compared to Confirmatory factor Analysis, supporting the distinctiveness of the eight dimensions. The instrument demonstrated strong internal consistency (composite reliability ranging from 0.78 to 0.90) and adequate discriminant validity. Path analysis revealed that novelty satisfaction was significantly associated with enjoyment and satisfaction with life. In reverse, novelty frustration was negatively associated with these well-being indicators. Intraclass correlation coefficients (0.75 to 0.83) confirmed robust temporal stability. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that the Portuguese version of the BPNSFS, including the novelty dimension, is a psychometrically comprehensive instrument for the exercise context. The results support the inclusion of novelty as a relevant psychological need within Self-Determination Theory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Exercises in Students’ Health)
10 pages, 1910 KB  
Article
Mental Fatigue in High School Students Through Spanish Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Causes, Consequences, and Reduction Strategies: A Survey Study
by Francisco Javier Roldán-Ramos, Juan de Dios Benítez-Sillero, Ana Rodríguez-Cano and Javier Raya-González
Healthcare 2026, 14(7), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070960 - 6 Apr 2026
Viewed by 453
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Mental fatigue in adolescents is a growing concern in educational contexts, positioning physical education (PE) teachers as key agents in designing effective mitigation strategies. This study examined the perceptions of Spanish high school PE teachers regarding the causes, consequences, and potential [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Mental fatigue in adolescents is a growing concern in educational contexts, positioning physical education (PE) teachers as key agents in designing effective mitigation strategies. This study examined the perceptions of Spanish high school PE teachers regarding the causes, consequences, and potential countermeasures for students’ mental fatigue. Methods: A total of 116 in-service teachers (81 males and 35 females; mean teaching experience 7.8 ± 5.3 years) from 12 autonomous communities throughout Spain completed a comprehensive 34-item electronic questionnaire. The instrument assessed the perceived existence, etiology, and outcomes of mental fatigue through multiple-choice, dichotomous (yes/no), and five-point Likert scale questions, with particular attention given to the role of physical activity (PA) in symptom alleviation. A quantitative frequency analysis was conducted to examine the data. Results: The main findings reveal a strong consensus among the teachers (77.6% to 87.9%) on the prevalence of mental fatigue, with its primary causes attributed to academic pressure and sedentarism. The consequences were identified as increased irritability and reduced cognitive performance. The teachers overwhelmingly endorsed moderate intensity PA as the most effective countermeasure. However, a significant gap was identified between this theoretical awareness and the systematic implementation of targeted strategies within schools. Conclusions: These results underscore the critical need for professional development programs and structural support to translate teacher knowledge into practical intervention, suggesting important directions for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Exercises in Students’ Health)
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