An epidemiological analysis of sport participants’ mental health and well-being in Canadian higher education

In this study, we explored mental health and well-being among Canadian post-secondary student-athletes, identified risk and protective factors, and examined the impact of athletic participation on these outcomes. A multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression model was fit to examine factors that impact flourishing mental health using cross-sectional data from 10,207 full-time students at 16 Canadian institutions. Fourteen of 27 explanatory variables were retained in the final model. Varsity (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.52, 2.70, p < 0.001) and recreational (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.35, 1.92, p < 0.001) sport participation were associated with significantly increased odds of flourishing. Sport participants reported lower levels of distress, lifetime diagnoses of mental illness, loneliness, and suicide risk, as well as greater flourishing, sense of belonging, and social support. Social factors and institutional perceptions were also associated with flourishing mental health.