The effect of exercise adherence on obesity, and psychological wellbeing among medical students in arabic countries. a cross-sectional multi-center study

Background Medical students in Arab countries face growing challenges related to obesity and mental health, with exercise adherence emerging as a modifiable factor that may influence both physical and psychological wellbeing. Purpose This study examined the relationship between exercise habits, obesity, and psychological wellbeing among medical students across three Arab countries. Methods A cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted among 505 medical students from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Sudan. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing demographics, exercise adherence, BMI, psychological wellbeing, and depressive symptoms using the PHQ-9. Sedentary lifestyle was defined as exercising fewer than three times weekly. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results Participants had a mean age of 21.97 ± 2.09 years, and 65.1% were female. Overall, 37.6% were overweight and 14.7% were obese. Sedentary lifestyle was highly prevalent (77.4%) and was significantly associated with higher BMI and higher PHQ-9 scores (p < 0.05). Sedentary students also showed elevated rates of moderately severe to severe depression (14.5%) compared with active students (4.4%). Logistic regression identified sedentary lifestyle (OR = 3.829, p = 0.003) and anxiety (OR = 1.998, p = 0.020) as significant predictors of obesity. Anxiety was predicted by depression (OR = 4.859, p < 0.001) and obesity (OR = 1.957, p = 0.025), while depression was predicted solely by anxiety (OR = 4.973, p < 0.001). Conclusion Sedentary lifestyle is strongly associated with obesity and poorer psychological wellbeing among medical students in Arab countries. Promoting regular physical activity may enhance both physical and mental health in this population.