{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T05:04:50Z","timestamp":1783919090415,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783900800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Physical activity is widely assumed to contribute to psychological wellbeing; however, this relationship may reflect broader lifestyle patterns rather than a direct causal effect. This cross-sectional study examined physical activity levels, subjective wellbeing, and their predictors in a sample of 1,109 pre-service students enrolled in helping-profession programs (special education, infant and early childhood education, pre-school education, and social education) at the University of Debrecen, Hungary. Data were collected using an online questionnaire assessing physical activity habits, wellbeing, dietary behavior, sleep, and motivational factors. Hierarchical multiple regression models were used to analyze predictors of weekly physical activity and wellbeing. Physical activity did not independently predict wellbeing after lifestyle variables were controlled. Instead, wellbeing was predicted by daily vegetable consumption, enjoyment of university physical education, motivator count, sleep adequacy, financial situation, and attention to healthy eating. Physical activity volume was predicted by perceived importance of physical activity, work intensity, and barrier count. Part-time students who combined work and study reported higher physical activity levels and better wellbeing than full-time students. The findings suggest that wellbeing in this population is associated more strongly with coherent lifestyle patterns than with physical activity volume alone.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1898956","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T04:23:26Z","timestamp":1783916606000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Physical activity and wellbeing among pre-service helping professionals: the role of lifestyle in a Hungarian university sample"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Erzs\u00e9bet","family":"R\u00e1k\u00f3","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Pedagogy, Faculty of Education for Children and Special Educational Needs, University of Debrecen","place":["Debrecen, Hungary"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Attila","family":"Lengyel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Coordination and Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen","place":["Debrecen, Hungary"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zolt\u00e1n","family":"Szerdahelyi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Complex Arts and Health Education, Faculty of Education for Children and Special Educational Needs, University of Debrecen","place":["Debrecen, Hungary"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anetta","family":"M\u00fcller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Sport Economics and Management, University of Debrecen","place":["Debrecen, Hungary"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1451","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2020-102955","article-title":"World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour","volume":"54","author":"Bull","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br J Sports Med"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1077","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(18)30357-7","article-title":"Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1.9 million participants","volume":"6","author":"Guthold","year":"2001","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e202","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00533-3","article-title":"National, regional, and global trends in insufficient physical activity among adults from 2000 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 507 population-based surveys with 5.7 million participants","volume":"13","author":"Strain","year":"2000","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0265913","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0265913","article-title":"Barriers to high school and university students physical activity: a systematic review","volume":"17","author":"Ferreira Silva","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19010158","article-title":"Physical activity and physical fitness among university students: a systematic review","volume":"19","author":"Kljajevi\u0107","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3715","DOI":"10.1080\/07448481.2023.2194426","article-title":"Changes in physical activity, diet, sleep, and mental well-being when starting university: a qualitative exploration of Australian student experiences","volume":"72","author":"Oftedal","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Am Coll Heal"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"415","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-17621-4","article-title":"Key influences on university students' physical activity: a systematic review using the theoretical domains framework and the COM-B model of human behaviour","volume":"24","author":"Ndupu","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref8","volume-title":"Predicting Lifelong Participation in Physical Activity: The Role of Dispositional and Contextual Motivation in Physical Education [dissertation]","author":"Jackson","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.68","article-title":"Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am Psychol"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1186\/1479-5868-9-78","article-title":"Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: a systematic review","volume":"9","author":"Teixeira","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20010195","article-title":"Physical activity and mental health in undergraduate students","volume":"20","author":"Rodr\u00edguez-Romo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"267","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2025-109806","article-title":"Domain-specific physical activity and mental health: an updated systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis in a combined sample of 3.3 million people","volume":"60","author":"Teychenne","year":"2026","journal-title":"Br J Sports Med"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1055209","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1055209","article-title":"The relationship between unhealthy lifestyle patterns and depressive symptoms among residents in Beijing, China: a community-based cross-sectional study","volume":"11","author":"Zhang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1093\/her\/cyac035","article-title":"A systematic review of the association of diet quality with the mental health of university students: implications in health education practice","volume":"38","author":"Solomou","year":"2023","journal-title":"Health Educ Res"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"360","DOI":"10.1002\/wps.20773","article-title":"A meta-review of lifestyle psychiatry: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders","volume":"19","author":"Firth","year":"2020","journal-title":"World Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0329689","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0329689","article-title":"From surviving to thriving: how sleep, physical activity, and diet shape well-being in young adults","volume":"20","author":"Cooper","year":"2025","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2019","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20032019","article-title":"Determinants of sleep quality: a cross-sectional study in university students","volume":"20","author":"Schmickler","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"995","DOI":"10.1080\/0309877X.2023.2209777","article-title":"Sleep disturbance, mental health, wellbeing and educational impact in UK university students: a mixed methods study","volume":"47","author":"Stores","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Furth High Educ"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.4324\/9780429325861-4","volume-title":"Physical Education Teacher Education in a Global Policy Space","author":"Heikinaro-Johansson","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3890","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19073890","article-title":"Training pre-service early childhood educators in physical activity (TEACH): protocol for a quasi-experimental study","volume":"19","author":"Tucker","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref21","first-page":"124","volume-title":"K\u00f6z\u00e9piskol\u00e1s \u00e9s Egyetemista Sportol\u00f3k Ment\u00e1lis Eg\u00e9szs\u00e9ge \u2013 Egy Magyarorsz\u00e1gi Kvantitat\u00edv Kutat\u00e1s Tanuls\u00e1gai","author":"Luk\u00e1csi","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1572","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-16372-6","article-title":"Clustering of diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour and related physical and mental health outcomes: a systematic review","volume":"23","author":"Alosaimi","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"579205","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.579205","article-title":"The big three health behaviors and mental health and well-being among young adults: a cross-sectional investigation of sleep, exercise, and diet","volume":"11","author":"Wickham","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.63582\/kapocs.2022.1.12","article-title":"Alv\u00e1smennyis\u00e9g \u00e9s alv\u00e1sid\u0151z\u00edt\u00e9s a feln\u0151tt magyar lakoss\u00e1g k\u00f6r\u00e9ben","volume":"5","author":"B\u00f3dizs","year":"2022","journal-title":"Kapocs"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"214","DOI":"10.1080\/17437199.2020.1718529","article-title":"A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health","volume":"15","author":"Ntoumanis","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health Psychol Rev"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"780059","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.780059","article-title":"Enjoyment as a predictor of exercise habit, intention to continue exercising, and exercise frequency: the intensity traits discrepancy moderation role","volume":"13","author":"Teixeira","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1781","DOI":"10.1177\/00315125231178341","article-title":"The roles of perceived physical education competence, enjoyment, and persistence on middle school students\u2019 physical activity engagement","volume":"130","author":"Guan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Percept Mot Skills"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1156160","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1156160","article-title":"Association between enjoyment, physical activity, and physical literacy among college students: a mediation analysis","volume":"11","author":"Yan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1049","DOI":"10.3102\/00346543251332919","article-title":"Burnout and occupational wellbeing of special education teachers: recent research synthesized","volume":"96","author":"Brunsting","year":"2025","journal-title":"Rev Educ Res"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104209","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tate.2023.104148","article-title":"Special educators\u2019 mental health and burnout: a comparison of general and teacher specific risk factors","volume":"132","author":"McGrew","year":"2023","journal-title":"Teach Teach Educ"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"033","DOI":"10.21926\/obm.icm.2303033","article-title":"Burnout among special education teachers and the role of individual, interpersonal, and organizational risk and protective factors","volume":"8","author":"Hofmann","year":"2023","journal-title":"OBM Integr Complement Med"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1898956\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T04:23:28Z","timestamp":1783916608000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1898956\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"references-count":31,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1898956"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1898956","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"article-number":"1898956"}}