Association between health anxiety and health-oriented behaviors in medical students: The preventive role of physical activity

Abstract

Health anxiety (HA) is increasingly recognized among medical students due to ongoing exposure to illness-related content and academic stress. This study examined the prevalence of HA in Chinese medical students and its association with health-oriented behaviors. A total of 2283 participants completed self-report measures of BMI, smoking status, diet, physical activity, and HA (Chinese Short Health Anxiety Inventory). The average HA score was 14.56 ± 6.34, and 33.2% scored above the clinical cut-off. Physical activity levels were significantly lower in students with HA (863.06 ± 737.12) compared to those without HA (945.34 ± 715.5; p = 0.012). Physical activity was the only significant predictor of HA (β = –0.344, p < 0.001), explaining 13.3% of the variance. However, results should be interpreted in light of limitations, including self-reported data and the single-university sample. Promoting physical activity may be a promising strategy to reduce HA in medical students.