Bullying victimization and aggression, physical activity and sedentary behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding the associations of bullying victimization and aggression with participation in physical activity and sedentary behaviors. MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis protocol. Manuscripts published between January 2010 and August 2020 were selected from searches performed using the following 5 databases: Psych Info, PubMed, Scielo, Science Direct, and Web of Sciences. Thirty-two manuscripts were included in the systematic review, among which 17 manuscripts examined the relationship of victimization and/or aggression with physical activity and/or sedentary behaviors and were included in the meta-analytic computations. ResultsThe results of the systematic review and meta-analysis were congruent. Victimization was associated with less time spent in physical activity (OR = 0.91; 95 %CI = 0.87 – 0.95) and more time spent in sedentary behaviors (OR = 1.19; 95 %CI = 1.12 – 1.26). Aggression was associated with more time spent in sedentary behavior (OR = 1.58; 95 %CI = 1.36 – 1.83) ConclusionsPrevention of bullying may lead to the adoption of healthier lifestyles by children and adolescents.