Students who prioritize exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and other forms of self-care are more likely to have a better view of themselves and life

24 Sep 2026

This study explored how everyday health habits—like exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and self-care—affect the overall well-being of college students in the Philippines, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The research involved over 2,600 university students nationwide and examined how their lifestyle behaviors influenced their emotional, social, and physical health.

The findings revealed that students who exercised more, ate healthier meals, practiced relaxation, and followed preventive health routines felt better about themselves and their lives. These students reported more positive emotions, a stronger sense of purpose, better health, and greater satisfaction with their accomplishments. However, the study also found that many students were still struggling with physical inactivity, poor sleep, unhealthy eating habits, and high stress—issues that became worse during the pandemic.

The results highlight a clear need for schools and universities to support student wellness, not just academically but also physically and mentally. By investing in programs that promote active lifestyles, proper nutrition, and stress management, we can help young people recover from the pandemic’s lasting effects and thrive both in and out of the classroom.

This study offers a timely and contextually grounded investigation into the predictors of well-being among Filipino tertiary students in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Situated within a country that implemented some of the world’s strictest and longest lockdowns, this research addresses an urgent need to understand the lingering psychosocial and behavioral impacts of prolonged educational disruption on young adult learners.

Employing the PERMAH model as a multidimensional framework, the study provides empirical support for the role of positive health behaviors—including physical activity, nutrition, relaxation, and preventive practices—in promoting student well-being. The findings elucidate how modifiable health behaviors significantly predict key components of well-being, such as positive emotion, engagement, meaning, accomplishment, and health, even after controlling for demographic covariates.

The study advances the discourse on youth mental health by highlighting the disproportionate impact of inactivity, poor sleep, and suboptimal nutrition on students’ holistic development. Moreover, it foregrounds the role of cultural and institutional factors, such as academic pressure, digital fatigue, and economic constraints, in shaping health-related choices in the Philippine tertiary education landscape. Beyond its theoretical contribution, this research holds substantial practical value. The results underscore the need for higher education institutions to develop targeted, culturally responsive, and evidence-based interventions that integrate physical activity and well-being promotion into academic support systems. In doing so, it aligns with global priorities such as Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), offering policy-relevant insights to inform the design of mental health and wellness programs for vulnerable student populations in post-pandemic settings.

Authors: Lizamarie Campoamor-Olegario (College of Education, University of the Philippines Diliman), Desiderio S. Camitan IV (College of Education, University of the Philippines Diliman), and Maria Luisa M. Guinto (College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1490437/full

Students who prioritize exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and other forms of self-care are more likely to have a better view of themselves and life

This study explored how everyday health habits—like exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and self-care—affect the overall well-being of college students in the Philippines, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The research involved over 2,600 university students nationwide and examined how their lifestyle behaviors influenced their emotional, social, and physical health.

The findings revealed that students who exercised more, ate healthier meals, practiced relaxation, and followed preventive health routines felt better about themselves and their lives. These students reported more positive emotions, a stronger sense of purpose, better health, and greater satisfaction with their accomplishments. However, the study also found that many students were still struggling with physical inactivity, poor sleep, unhealthy eating habits, and high stress—issues that became worse during the pandemic.

The results highlight a clear need for schools and universities to support student wellness, not just academically but also physically and mentally. By investing in programs that promote active lifestyles, proper nutrition, and stress management, we can help young people recover from the pandemic’s lasting effects and thrive both in and out of the classroom.

This study offers a timely and contextually grounded investigation into the predictors of well-being among Filipino tertiary students in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Situated within a country that implemented some of the world’s strictest and longest lockdowns, this research addresses an urgent need to understand the lingering psychosocial and behavioral impacts of prolonged educational disruption on young adult learners.

Employing the PERMAH model as a multidimensional framework, the study provides empirical support for the role of positive health behaviors—including physical activity, nutrition, relaxation, and preventive practices—in promoting student well-being. The findings elucidate how modifiable health behaviors significantly predict key components of well-being, such as positive emotion, engagement, meaning, accomplishment, and health, even after controlling for demographic covariates.

The study advances the discourse on youth mental health by highlighting the disproportionate impact of inactivity, poor sleep, and suboptimal nutrition on students’ holistic development. Moreover, it foregrounds the role of cultural and institutional factors, such as academic pressure, digital fatigue, and economic constraints, in shaping health-related choices in the Philippine tertiary education landscape. Beyond its theoretical contribution, this research holds substantial practical value. The results underscore the need for higher education institutions to develop targeted, culturally responsive, and evidence-based interventions that integrate physical activity and well-being promotion into academic support systems. In doing so, it aligns with global priorities such as Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), offering policy-relevant insights to inform the design of mental health and wellness programs for vulnerable student populations in post-pandemic settings.

Authors: Lizamarie Campoamor-Olegario (College of Education, University of the Philippines Diliman), Desiderio S. Camitan IV (College of Education, University of the Philippines Diliman), and Maria Luisa M. Guinto (College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1490437/full