Role of sports participation in preventing academic burnout among undergraduate medical students.

Abstract

Objective: To explore the role of sports participation in preventing academic burnout among undergraduate medical students. Study Design: Cross-sectional Analytical study. Setting: Aziz Fatimah Medical and Dental College, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Period: April 2025 to September 2025. Methods: Among undergraduate MBBS students from first to final year. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, and data collected using a structured questionnaire including demographic variables, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were performed to assess associations between physical activity and burnout outcomes (total burnout, disengagement, and exhaustion). The adjusted model controlled for age, gender, and body mass index. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 246 students were included (mean age 20.91 ± 1.58 years; 58.9% male). In unadjusted analyses, physical activity showed weak inverse associations with all burnout outcomes but was significantly associated only with exhaustion (β = -0.129, p = 0.042). After adjustment for age, gender, and BMI, physical activity was no longer significantly associated with any burnout outcome. However, female gender emerged as a significant predictor of higher total burnout (β = 0.298, p < 0.001), disengagement (β = 0.207, p = 0.003), and exhaustion (β = 0.323, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Academic burnout appears multifactorial, and physical activity alone may be insufficient for burnout prevention. More comprehensive and gender-responsive student well-being strategies are needed.