A study of the association between static behavior and mental health among Chinese adolescents

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between adolescent static behavior and mental health, and to provide a scientific basis for improving adolescent mental health. A total of 5713 adolescents aged 13–18years were sampled from September to December 2023 in Shanghai, Suzhou, Taiyuan, Wuyuan, Xingyi, and Urumqi using stratified whole cluster random sampling method. Physical Activity Level Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents Aged 7 to 18Years and Brief Questionnaire for the Assessment of Adolescent Mental Health were used to investigate static behavior and mental health, respectively. Spearman’s correlation and linear regression were used to analyze the associations between static behavior and mental health dimensions. The sedentary time in the good mental health group was significantly lower than that in the poor mental health group (z = -4.23, p < 0.01). Significant differences existed in the distribution of adolescents’ mental health across different levels of meeting screen time recommendations (x2=12.27, p < 0.01). Sedentary time was significantly negatively correlated with emotional problems, conduct problems, and social adjustment difficulties (r-values of −0.08, −0.05, and −0.06, respectively, with p-values < 0.01); and screen time was significantly negatively correlated with emotional problems, conduct problems, and social adjustment difficulties (r-values of −0.11, −0.14, and −0.11, respectively, with p-values < 0.01). Linear regression showed that sedentary time and screen time were significantly negatively associated with emotional problems, behavioral problems, and social adjustment difficulties, respectively (p-value < 0.01). There is a significant negative correlation between adolescents’ static behavioral time and mental health scores, and reducing sedentary time and screen time may help improve their emotional problems, conduct problems, and social adjustment difficulties, and provide a reference basis for developing mental health interventions for adolescents.