IntroductionStudies have shown that sport participation is connected with a more positive self-image and higher self-esteem in adolescents (Bowkers, 2006, Kirkcaldy et al., 2002), whereas sedentary behavior is associated with negative mental health characteristics (Primack et al., 2009).PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate whether physical activity influences adolescents and young people's emotions, self-esteem and generally mental health.MaterialQuestionnaires were redacted by the research team investigating participants’ habits, emotions and health benefits concerning physical activities.MethodQuestionnaires were administered to 150 adolescents, aged 18–20 years old in Technological Educational Institutes, colleges and fitness centers in Patras, Southern Greece during 2015's spring.ResultsEighty-seven percent of the respondents worked out in fitness centers or in natural environment. Most of them answered that exercise contributed to revitalization and euphoria feelings (63%), stress relief (78%), better self-image, and better health (49%). According to 63% of the adolescents, exercise improved their school performance and 61% of them felt that exercise affected positively mental health.ConclusionsPresent study's results underline physical activities’ benefits in students’ mental health, self-esteem, feelings and school performance being in line with other studies’ results [Biddle et Asare (2011), Ekeland et al. (2005), Brown et al. (2013)]. Restrictions refer mainly to small size sample.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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IntroductionThe covid-19 virus pandemic is another risk factor not only for the lives of older people, but also for their mental health, as the threat is immediate and intense.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate depression during the pandemic in a population of elderly people over 65 years of age living in the Greek countryside.MethodsThe research was synchronous and was conducted in the autumn of 2020 in Crete. The sample of the study was random and consisted of 200 elderly users of services of the Health Center of the Municipality of Phaistos, Crete. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to conduct the study in combination with 24 questions related to pandemic perceptions.Results40.5% of the sample were men and 59.5% were women. The mean age was 75.70 years (SD ± 6.29). The mean value of GDS-15 was found to be 5.97 (SD, 3.07), while the comparison of depressive symptoms showed that women, lonely people and the elderly with chronic health problems are more vulnerable to the development of depressive symptoms. In relation to covid-19 and depressive symptoms, there was a positive correlation with twelve factors (p <, 05) with the most important being the fear for their family health, sleep disorder, loneliness and inability to deal with the virus.ConclusionsThe research showed moderate depressive symptoms, while a clear effect of the pandemic due to Covid-19 was found on the emotional mood of the elderly, a fact that makes their psychosocial support necessary.DisclosureNo significant relationships.