Mental HealthNCT07756879
Classroom Exercise Frequency and Mental Health in Medical Students
A study testing Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise Program in people with Mental Health and Physical Activity, run by Dynamical Business and Science Society - DBSS International SAS at 1 site in Colombia.
Trial summary
This 16-week, three-group, nonrandomized interventional study evaluated whether the weekly frequency of a brief classroom-based physical exercise program was associated with changes in mental health and physical activity among 105 undergraduate medical students at Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Colombia. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Mental Health, Physical Activity
- What is being tested?
- Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 105 participants
- Where
- 1 siteColombia
- Study dates
- 3 Aug 2025to 28 Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Enrollment in the corresponding academic group (EG2, EG1, or CG) at Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira.
- Voluntary agreement to participate and completion of written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Medical conditions that precluded participation in physical exercise.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Colombia1 site
Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira
Pereira, Risaralda Department, 660003
About this study
Official title: Promoción de la Actividad física y la Salud Mental en Estudiantes de Medicina
This 16-week, three-group, nonrandomized interventional study evaluated whether the weekly frequency of a brief classroom-based physical exercise program was associated with changes in mental health and physical activity among 105 undergraduate medical students at Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Colombia. EG2 (n=35) received two exercise sessions per week, EG1 (n=37) received one session per week, and CG (n=33) received no exercise intervention. Anxiety, depression, stress, and physical activity were assessed at baseline and after 16 weeks.
Read the detailed description
The three groups were specified prospectively in the ethics-approved protocol. Participation was voluntary, and all participants completed written informed consent. Academic groups were formed independently of the investigators by the university Registration and Academic Control Unit through its routine enrollment process. Both intervention groups received the same approximately 10-minute classroom exercise program and differed only in weekly frequency. Each session comprised a 3-minute warm-up, a 5-minute interval circuit involving large muscle groups, and a 2-minute cool-down with stretching and breathing. Exercises varied across sessions and intensity increased progressively. The target intensity was 5 to 7 on the modified 0-to-10 Borg scale together with a moderate Talk Test response. Attendance was called before each session by the assigned instructor, and withdrawal during a session was recorded. Adherence was defined as attendance at 80% or more of delivered sessions. No adverse events were recorded.
- Conditions
- Mental Health, Physical Activity
- Being tested
- Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise Program
- Keywords
- Medical Students, Classroom-Based Exercise, Exercise Snacks, Anxiety, Depression, Psychological Stress
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being, Motor Activity, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Stress, Psychological
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise ProgramBehavioural
Approximately 10-minute sessions comprising a 3-minute warm-up, a 5-minute interval circuit involving large muscle groups, and a 2-minute cool-down. Exercises varied and intensity increased progressively, targeting 5 to 7 on the modified 0-to-10 Borg scale and a moderate Talk Test response. The program required no exercise equipment.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| EG2 - Classroom Exercise Twice Weekly | Experimental | Thirty-five participants received two approximately 10-minute classroom exercise sessions per week for 16 weeks, corresponding to 32 delivered sessions. Receives: Behavioral: Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise Program |
| EG1 - Classroom Exercise Once Weekly | Experimental | Thirty-seven participants received one approximately 10-minute classroom exercise session per week for 16 weeks, corresponding to 16 delivered sessions. Receives: Behavioral: Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise Program |
| CG - Usual Classroom Activities | No intervention | Thirty-three participants continued usual classroom activities and received no study exercise sessions during the 16-week period. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in anxiety symptom score assessed with the DASS-21 anxiety subscale
Seven items are summed without doubling to obtain a raw score from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety symptom severity.
Measured: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Secondary outcomes (3)
Change in depression symptom score assessed with the DASS-21 depression subscale
Seven items are summed without doubling to obtain a raw score from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater depression symptom severity.
Measured: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Change in psychological stress score assessed with the DASS-21 stress subscale
Seven items are summed without doubling to obtain a raw score from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater stress symptom severity.
Measured: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Change in total physical activity assessed with the short-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire
Total physical activity is expressed as MET-minutes/week by summing walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity activity. Higher values indicate a greater physical activity volume.
Measured: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Aug 2026
- Study start3 Aug 2025
- Primary completion28 Nov 2025
- Study completion28 Nov 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Mental HealthStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Three pre-existing academic groups were compared. Group formation occurred through the university's routine enrollment process and was not controlled by the investigators.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 105 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Dynamical Business and Science Society - DBSS International SAS
- Sponsor type
- Research network
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Jhonatan Gonzalez-Santamaria, PhD, Principal investigator, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07756879
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UTP-151-101224
- Other IDs
- 28871, 151-101224
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 11 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Publications
Ruiz FJ, Garcia-Martin MB, Suarez-Falcon JC, Odriozola-Gonzalez P. The hierarchical factor structure of the Spanish version of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21. Int J Psychol Psychol Ther. 2017;17(1):97-105.
Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjostrom M, Bauman AE, Booth ML, Ainsworth BE, Pratt M, Ekelund U, Yngve A, Sallis JF, Oja P. International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 Aug;35(8):1381-95. doi: 10.1249/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB.
PubMed 12900694
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Promoción de la Actividad física y la Salud Mental en Estudiantes de Medicina
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07756879
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UTP-151-101224
- Conditions
- Mental Health, Physical Activity
- Keywords
- Medical Students, Classroom-Based Exercise, Exercise Snacks, Anxiety, Depression, Psychological Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 105 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Dynamical Business and Science Society - DBSS International SASResearch network
- Study start
- 3 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 28 Nov 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This 16-week, three-group, nonrandomized interventional study evaluated whether the weekly frequency of a brief classroom-based physical exercise program was associated with changes in mental health and physical activity among 105 undergraduate medical students at Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Colombia. EG2 (n=35) received two exercise sessions per week, EG1 (n=37) received one session per week, and CG (n=33) received no exercise intervention. Anxiety, depression, stress, and physical activity were assessed at baseline and after 16 weeks.
Detailed description
The three groups were specified prospectively in the ethics-approved protocol. Participation was voluntary, and all participants completed written informed consent. Academic groups were formed independently of the investigators by the university Registration and Academic Control Unit through its routine enrollment process. Both intervention groups received the same approximately 10-minute classroom exercise program and differed only in weekly frequency. Each session comprised a 3-minute warm-up, a 5-minute interval circuit involving large muscle groups, and a 2-minute cool-down with stretching and breathing. Exercises varied across sessions and intensity increased progressively. The target intensity was 5 to 7 on the modified 0-to-10 Borg scale together with a moderate Talk Test response. Attendance was called before each session by the assigned instructor, and withdrawal during a session was recorded. Adherence was defined as attendance at 80% or more of delivered sessions. No adverse events were recorded.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Three pre-existing academic groups were compared. Group formation occurred through the university's routine enrollment process and was not controlled by the investigators.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| EG2 - Classroom Exercise Twice Weekly | Experimental | Behavioral: Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise ProgramThirty-five participants received two approximately 10-minute classroom exercise sessions per week for 16 weeks, corresponding to 32 delivered sessions. |
| EG1 - Classroom Exercise Once Weekly | Experimental | Behavioral: Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise ProgramThirty-seven participants received one approximately 10-minute classroom exercise session per week for 16 weeks, corresponding to 16 delivered sessions. |
| CG - Usual Classroom Activities | No intervention | –Thirty-three participants continued usual classroom activities and received no study exercise sessions during the 16-week period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Enrollment in the corresponding academic group (EG2, EG1, or CG) at Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira.
- Voluntary agreement to participate and completion of written informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Medical conditions that precluded participation in physical exercise.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise ProgramApproximately 10-minute sessions comprising a 3-minute warm-up, a 5-minute interval circuit involving large muscle groups, and a 2-minute cool-down. Exercises varied and intensity increased progressively, targeting 5 to 7 on the modified 0-to-10 Borg scale and a moderate Talk Test response. The program required no exercise equipment. | Behavioural | EG1 - Classroom Exercise Once Weekly, EG2 - Classroom Exercise Twice Weekly |
Primary outcome
Change in anxiety symptom score assessed with the DASS-21 anxiety subscale
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Seven items are summed without doubling to obtain a raw score from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety symptom severity.
3 secondary outcomes
Change in depression symptom score assessed with the DASS-21 depression subscale
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Change in psychological stress score assessed with the DASS-21 stress subscale
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Change in total physical activity assessed with the short-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Aug 2026.
- BackgroundRuiz FJ, Garcia-Martin MB, Suarez-Falcon JC, Odriozola-Gonzalez P. The hierarchical factor structure of the Spanish version of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21. Int J Psychol Psychol Ther. 2017;17(1):97-105.
- Background: PubMed 12900694Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjostrom M, Bauman AE, Booth ML, Ainsworth BE, Pratt M, Ekelund U, Yngve A, Sallis JF, Oja P. International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 Aug;35(8):1381-95. doi: 10.1249/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
Related trials for Mental Health
Not yet recruiting
Effect of Stress Ball Use During Femoral Arterial Sheath Removal After Coronary Angiography
Femoral Arterial Sheath Removal, Stress Ball
Not yet recruiting
Preventive and Personalized Digital Emotion Regulation Skills Intervention to Reduce Depression and Anxiety in Youths With Adverse Childhood Experiences
Adverse Childhood Experience, Depression / Major Depressive Disorder
Recruiting
Effect of a Brief Daily Digital Meditation on Well-Being in US Young Adults (BEGIN II)
Mental Health and General Well-being
Recruiting
NightWare and Cardiovascular Health in Women With PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cardiovascular Diseases
Active, not recruiting
Intervention to Address Disparate Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic on Latinx and African Newcomers
Mental Health Issue, Mental Health Disorder
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jhonatan Gonzalez-Santamaria, PhD principal investigator
Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Brief Classroom-Based Physical Exercise Program in people with Mental Health and Physical Activity, run by Dynamical Business and Science Society - DBSS International SAS at 1 site in Colombia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Colombia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in anxiety symptom score assessed with the DASS-21 anxiety subscale (time frame: Baseline and post-intervention at week 16). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07756879, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Aug 2026.