Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms Differ Between Levels Of Physical Activity And Screen Time Among Adolescents

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The influence of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours, especially screen time, on anxiety and depressive symptoms is comparatively less studied among adolescents. PURPOSE: Thus, this study quantified differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms between levels of PA and screen time among 1756 adolescents (14.8 ± 1.7y; 995 female) in secondary school in the Republic of Ireland. METHODS: Participants self-reported depressive (QIDS) and anxiety (STAI-Y2) symptoms, PA (PACE+), and average daily weekday/weekend hours of television (TV), computer and smartphone use. ANOVA with Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons examined anxiety and depressive symptom differences between levels of PA and screen-time. Cohen’s d quantified the magnitude of differences. RESULTS: Anxiety and depressive symptoms significantly differed between PA levels (p ≤ 0.001), and weekday and weekend TV (p ≤ 0.001), computer use (p < 0.001), and smartphone use (p < 0.001). Results were materially the same when adjusted for age, gender, school type and residence (all p ≤ 0.001). Anxiety symptoms were greater for low compared to moderate (p < 0.001, d = 0.58) and high (p < 0.001, d = 0.87) PA, and for moderate compared to high PA (p < 0.001, d = 0.33). Depressive symptoms were greater for low compared to moderate (p < 0.001, d = 0.47) and high (p < 0.001, d = 0.67) PA, and for moderate compared to high PA (p < 0.001, d = 0.21). Compared to no TV, symptoms were lower for ≤2 h of weekday TV (anxiety: all p ≤ 0.004, d: 0.27-0.34; depressive: all p ≤ 0.01, d: 0.26-0.37) and ≤ 30 min/d of weekend TV (anxiety: p ≤ 0.007, d = 0.35; depressive: p ≤ 0.005, d = 0.36). For computer use, compared to lower use categories, symptoms were greater for ≥5 h/d of weekday (anxiety: all p ≤ 0.003, d: 0.53-0.79; depressive: all p < 0.001, d: 0.63-0.66) and weekend (anxiety: all p ≤ 0.02, d: 0.34-0.59; depressive: all p < 0.001, d: 0.43-0.72) use. For smartphone use, compared to lower use categories, symptoms were greater for ≥5 h/d of weekday (anxiety: all p ≤ 0.03, d: 0.31-0.70; depressive: all p ≤ 0.002, d: 0.34-0.74) and weekend (anxiety: all p ≤ 0.001, d: 0.34-0.76; depressive: all p < 0.001, d: 0.30-0.80) use. CONCLUSION: Anxiety and depressive symptoms differed based on PA and screen time behaviours. Dose-response and threshold effects were suggested for PA and screen time, respectively.