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Depressive symptoms as a mediator in the association between regular physical activity and irritable bowel
Yuqian Sui1,2, Ping Li3, Xianfeng Yue1
1School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.
Introduction:
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder, substantially affecting quality of life among young adults. Although regular physical activity (RPA) benefits both mental and gastrointestinal health, its potential psychological mechanisms in IBS-related symptom severity remain unclear. This study was designed to examine the association between RPA and IBS-related symptom severity among Chinese college students and to clarify the mediating roles of depressive symptoms.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 872 students from three universities in Shandong Province, China. Data on demographics, RPA, anxiety and depression assessed by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and IBS-related symptom severity evaluated using the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) were collected. Group comparisons, multiple regression, and mediation analyses were performed.
Results:
Comparisons between students engaging in RPA and their sedentary peers revealed significantly lower IBS-SSS and GSRS scores in the RPA group. Consistent with these observations, multiple linear regression indicated that RPA was inversely associated with IBS-SSS [β = -28.665, 95% CI: (-40.129, -17.201), p < 0.01] and GSRS [β = -3.538, 95% CI: (-5.740, -1.335), p < 0.01] scores. In addition, higher SAS and SDS scores were positively associated with IBS-SSS and GSRS scores (all p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed an estimated indirect association between RPA and IBS-SSS scores through depressive symptoms (p < 0.001), with a mediation proportion of 19.43%.
Conclusion:
These findings indicate that RPA is associated with reduced IBS-related symptom severity, and that depressive symptoms statistically account for part of this association, highlighting the importance of lifestyle strategies integrating physical and psychological interventions for managing IBS-related symptom in young adults.
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