Active Commuting and its Association With Mental Health and Lifestyle Among Spanish University Students

Abstract

Active commuting contributes to physical activity among young people, which is associated with numerous health benefits. The objective of this study was to analyze how students at a Spanish university commute to their place of study, examining the relationship between various sociodemographic variables, lifestyle habits, and mental health indicators. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 1,142 students (23.655 ± 7.84) from a university in northern Spain. The study assessed active commuting to the university, emotional and behavioral problems, emotional intelligence, self-esteem, life satisfaction, perceived stress, suicidal behavior, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviors, alcohol consumption, and compulsive internet use. 52.7% of the students were active commuters (on foot or by bicycle). This commuting mode was significantly associated with higher weekly physical activity (p = .023), lower perceived stress (p = .006) and higher life satisfaction (p = .031). Logistic regression analysis showed that younger age (OR = 0.98; p = .030), not being in paid employment (OR = 0.64; p = .004), lower levels of stress (OR = 0.98; p = .048) and higher life satisfaction (OR = 1.04; p = .020) were significantly associated with active commuting. The positive impact of active commuting on physical and psychosocial wellbeing suggests that governments should promote strategies to improve public health. These strategies should focus on groups where active commuting is less common, such as older students or those with higher incomes.