Independent and combined associations between screen time and physical activity and perceived stress among college students

Abstract Background The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerges in China, which spreads rapidly and becomes a public health emergency of international concern. Chinese government has promptly taken quarantine measures to block the transmission of the COVID-19, which may cause deleterious consequences on everyone’s behaviors and psychological health. Few studies have examined the associations between behavioral and mental health in different endemic areas. This study aimed to describe screen time (ST), physical activity (PA), and depressive symptoms, as well as their associations among Chinese college students according to different epidemic areas. Methods The study design is cross-sectional using online survey, from 4 to 12 February 2020, 14,789 college students accomplished this online study, participants who did not complete the questionnaire were excluded, and finally this study included 11,787 college students from China. Results The average age of participants was 20.51 ± 1.88 years. 57.1% of the college students were male. In total, 25.9% of college students reported depression symptoms. ST > 4 h/day was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.48, 95%CI 0.37–0.59). COVID-19ST > 1 h/day was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.54, 95%CI 0.43–0.65), compared with COVID-19ST ≤ 0.5 h/day. Compared with PA ≥ 3 day/week, PA < 3 day/week was positively associated with depression symptoms (β = 0.01, 95%CI 0.008–0.012). Compared with low ST and high PA, there was an interaction association between high ST and low PA on depression (β = 0.31, 95%CI 0.26–0.36). Compared with low COVID-19ST and high PA, there was an interaction association between high COVID-19ST and low PA on depression (β = 0.37, 95%CI 0.32–0.43). There were also current residence areas differences. Conclusions Our findings identified that high ST or low PA was positively associated with depressive symptoms independently, and there was also an interactive effect between ST and PA on depressive symptoms.

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An Exploration of Domain-Specific Sedentary Behaviors in College Students by Lifestyle Factors and Sociodemographics

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189930 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9930

Author(s):

Chelsea Carpenter ◽

Sang-Eun Byun ◽

Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy ◽

Delia West

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Screen Time ◽

Parental Education ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Lifestyle Factors ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Female Self

College students exhibit high levels of sedentary time and/or poor lifestyle factors (e.g., poor sleep, stress, physical inactivity). It is unknown; however, in what domains college students spend their sedentary time and whether there are associations between sedentary time and these lifestyle factors. This study examined sedentary behavior of college students by domains, current lifestyle factors and sociodemographics. Undergraduates (n = 272, M age = 20 years, 79% female) self-reported their sedentary behavior, sleep, stress, physical activity, anthropometrics and sociodemographics. Sedentary time was categorized as: total, recreational screen, education and social. Students reported spending >12 h of their day sedentary on average, with over a third of this time spent in recreational screen time. All categories of sedentary time were significantly correlated with body mass index, and both total sedentary time and screen time were significantly correlated with sleep score, with poorer sleep quality associated with greater sedentary time. Physical activity was negatively correlated with social sedentary time only. Subgroups with elevated sedentary time included minority students, those with low parental education and students with overweight/obesity. Given the negative health impacts of sedentary behavior, college students would likely benefit from interventions tailored to this population which target reducing sedentary time, particularly recreational screen time.

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Associations among physical activity and smartphone use with perceived stress and sleep quality of Chinese college students

Mental Health and Physical Activity ◽

10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100323 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 ◽

pp. 100323 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xiangyu Zhai ◽

Mei Ye ◽

Can Wang ◽

Qian Gu ◽

Tao Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

Smartphone Use

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Ecological Momentary Assessed Physical Activity and Wellness Behaviors in College Students across a School Year: a longitudinal study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25375 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yang Bai ◽

William E Copeland ◽

Ryan Burns ◽

Hilary Nardone ◽

Vinay Devadanam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Screen Time ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

School Year ◽

Independent Association

BACKGROUND The Wellness Environment App Study is a longitudinal study focused on promoting health in college students. OBJECTIVE The two aims of this study are: 1) to assess physical activity (PA) variation across days of the week and throughout the academic year and 2) to explore the correlates that were associated with PA concurrently and longitudinally. METHODS Participants were asked to report their wellness and risk behaviors on a 14-item daily survey through a smartphone app. Each student was provided an Apple Watch to track their real-time PA. Data were collected from 805 college students from Sept 2017 to early May 2018. Data was analyzed in 2020. RESULTS Females were significantly more active than male college students. Students were significantly more active during the weekday than weekend. Temporal patterns were also revealed that students were less active during Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring breaks. Strong concurrent positive correlations were found between higher PA and self-reported happy mood, 8+h sleep, ≥ 1 fruit, and vegetable consumption, ≥ 4 bottles of water intake, and ≤2h screen time (p<.0001). Similar longitudinal associations were found that the previous day wellness behaviors independently predicted the next day higher PA except for mood. Conversely, the higher previous day PA levels were associated with better mood, more fruit and vegetable consumption, less screen time but higher liquor consumption the next day. CONCLUSIONS The study provides comprehensive surveillance on a longitudinal PA pattern and its independent association with a variety of wellness and risk behaviors in college students.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US College Students’ Physical Activity and Mental Health

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2020-0325 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 272-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Oliver W.A. Wilson ◽

Kelsey E. Holland ◽

Lucas D. Elliott ◽

Michele Duffey ◽

Melissa Bopp

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Significant Decline ◽

Spring Semester ◽

The Impact

Background: Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both physical activity (PA) and mental health is important to demonstrate the need for interventions. This study examined the apparent impact of the pandemic on college students’ PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Methods: From 2015 through 2020, data were collected at the beginning and end of the spring semester at a large Northeastern US university via an online survey assessing student demographics, PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Mixed ANOVA examined differences in PA and mental health changes over the spring semester between “normal” and COVID-19 circumstances. Two-way ANOVA examined the interaction between circumstance and changes in PA in relation to changes in mental health. Results: Participants (n = 1019) were predominately women and non-Hispanic white. There was a significant decline in PA and an increase in perceived stress under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances and a significant increase in depressive symptoms under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances among women. Conclusions: A significant decline in PA and mental health among college students occurred under COVID-19 circumstances, and PA did not appear to protect against deterioration in mental health. Proactive and innovative policies, programs, and practices to promote student health and well-being must be explored immediately.

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