BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms underlying the association between exercise intervention and mental health, and our questionnaire-based study aimed to compare the psychological effects of 6 weeks of exercise among 123 Chinese university students. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 123 college students were randomly divided into the experimental group (80 patients) and the control group (43 patients). The experimental group participated in a 6-week exercise intervention, and the control group received no intervention. Questionnaires were used to study emotion regulation and mental health. RESULTS The exercise intervention has a significant effect on reducing the anxiety and depression levels of college students [F(1,122)=10.83, p.