Linking sedentary behavior and mental distress in higher education: a cross-sectional study

Ana Belen Subiron-Valera; Beatriz Rodriguez-Roca; Estela Calatayud; Isabel Gomez-Soria; Elena Andrade-Gómez; Yolanda Marcen-Roman

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1205837

Linking sedentary behavior and mental distress in higher education: a cross-sectional study

Front Psychol. 2023 Aug 1:14:1205837. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1205837. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Ana Belen Subiron-Valera^{1

2

3}, Beatriz Rodriguez-Roca^{1

2}, Estela Calatayud^{1

4}, Isabel Gomez-Soria^{1

4}, Elena Andrade-Gómez⁵, Yolanda Marcen-Roman^{4

6}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
² Research group Sapienf (B53_23R), Zaragoza, Spain.
³ Research Group Sector III Healthcare (GIIS081), Institute of Research of Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.
⁴ Institute for Health Research Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.
⁵ Department of Nursing, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain.
⁶ Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.

Abstract

Background: Sedentary behavior among university students could negatively affect their mental health.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of mental health (anxiety and depression) and sedentary behavior between gender in Health Degrees at the University of Zaragoza.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Participants: Sample of 257 University students who completed an online questionnaire.

Methods: Sedentary behavior was assessed with the SBQ questionnaire. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the GADS questionnaire. The Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression models were used.

Results: In comparison to men, female students with symptoms of anxiety spend more time in total engaged in sedentary behaviors (10.56 ± 4.83) vs. (7.8 ± 3.28; p < 0.001) and mentally-passive sedentary activities [2.24 (1.57) vs. 1.15 (0.90; p < 0.005)]. Female students at risk of depression also spend more hours engaged in mentally-passive sedentary behaviors in comparison to men (8.28 ± 50.70 vs. 1.27 ± 1.02; p = 0.009).

Conclusion: Female students at risk of anxiety and/or depression spend more time engaged in sedentary activities in comparison to male students. The risk of anxiety and depression is associated with the total number of hours a day spent engaged in sedentary behaviors and with mentally passive behaviors, but not mentally active behaviors.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; mentally active behavior; mentally passive behavior; sedentary behavior; university students.