PROMOTING ACTIVE LIFESTYLES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: THE ME.MO PROGRAM PROPOSAL

Purpose: University students are prone to psychological distress and mental health issues, yet university counselling centers lack a comprehensive approach that integrates exercise and psychotherapy. Although regular exercise is known to mitigate mental-health risk factors, integrated university-based interventions are limited. The proposal outlines the national project ‘‘Me.Mo—Mente in Movimento’’ funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), currently being carried out at the University of L’Aquila. The project aims to promote the overall psychophysical well-being of university students through three types of interventions: two focused on individual and group psychological support, and one centered on physical activity. The aim of the present study is to assess the effects of a 4-week supervised exercise intervention on the Physical Fitness and active lifestyles of university students. Methods: The 4-week supervised exercise module includes two sessions per week of activities such as Pilates, urban trekking, func tional strength training and combined aerobic-resistance circuits. Each 60-minute session is preceded by a short educational introduc tion. Physical fitness will be assessed through standardized tests: 6-Minute Walk Test (Cardiorespiratory fitness), Handgrip Strength Test (upper limb grip strength), 5-Repetition Sit-to-Stand (lower limb strength), and Sit-and-Reach Test (flexibility). Physical activity levels will be self-reported using the International Physical Activity Ques tionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Moreover, movement-related behavior (step count, minutes spent walking, running, or exercising, average heart rate and nocturnal heart rate) will be assessed using wearable devices (Garmin vivoactive 5). All of these variables will be assessed before (t0) and after (t1) the intervention. Expected Results: Improvements in Cardiorespiratory fitness, strength and flexibility, higher IPAQ-SF scores and reduced sedentary time are expected. Wearable data should confirm this trend by showing more frequent and more intense activities.These outcomes would confirm more active habits among students, showing that such programs can well integrate the help already offered by university counselling services.