PHYSICAL EXERCISE AS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND STRESS IN THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
Physical Activity; University student; Physical Preparation.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) since the 90s, depression has increased considerably, pointing to an evident concern of public health professionals. This study aims to analyze, the possible effects of physical exercises on the maintenance of mental health among college students. Aiming to respond to this objective, a quantitative research will be conducted, of the descriptive and correlational type, with a longitudinal design. The sample will consist of 200 students, administrative technicians and teachers, of both sexes, aged between 18 and 50 years, who will participate in a program of walking interventions and functional exercises for 16 weeks. The following instruments are going to be used: Beck Depression Inventory – BDI; Stress Perception Scale-10 – EPS-10; and a general information questionnaire. These instruments will be applied before and after the intervention period aiming to evaluate possible changes on the stress and depression levels among participants.