Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Influence Executive Function and Psychological Well-being in Chinese University Students

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the associations of physical activity and sedentary behaviors with executive function and psychological well-being in Chinese university students. METHODS: Participants were 214 college students (aged 19.0 ± 1.1 yrs, 46.3% women) recruited from Shanghai, China. Executive function was assessed using a task switching paradigm. The outcomes of the task were global switch costs and local switch costs. The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to measure anxiety and depressive status, respectively. Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Physical activity was objectively measured using hip-mounted accelerometry monitors (Actigraph wGT3X-BT, Pensacola, FL, USA). Time spent on TV viewing, computer use, and smartphone use was used as indicators of sedentary behaviors, which were surveyed by a questionnaire. Linear regression modelling was conducted to assess the associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with executive function and psychological variables. RESULTS: Female students accumulated more time spent on light physical activity (LPA) (157.2±37.7 vs. 131.1±48.0 min, P < 0.01) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, 49.6±22.3 vs. 38.6±17.0 min, P < 0.01), and had higher total PA (326.9±119.6 vs. 271.7±114.8 CPM, P < 0.01) than males. After adjustment for wear time of accelerometers, age and gender, MVPA (β = -0.19, 95% CI, -0.35 to -0.03, P = 0.02) and LPA (β = -0.17, 95% CI, -0.34 to -0.01, P = 0.04) were associated with smaller global switch costs, which indicated that higher levels on MVPA and LPA were associated with better task switching performance. Longer time spent on smartphone use was associated worse scores on depression (β = 0.31, 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.47, P < 0.001), anxiety (β = 0.29, 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.45, P < 0.001) and sleep quality (β = 0.29, 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.44, P < 0.001). No other significant associations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in physical activity was associated with better performance on a test of executive function. Longer time on smartphone use was associated with worse scores on depression, anxiety and sleep quality. Therefore, interventions targeting college students should be developed to increase physical activity and reduce smartphone use.