Interrelationships of adolescent physical activity, screen-based sedentary behaviour, and social and psychological health.
OBJECTIVE
To examine how adolescent physical activity (PA) and screen-based media sedentary behaviours (SBM) relate to psychological and social health and identify cross-national differences in these relationships.


METHODS
Associations were examined in five regions using two Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) countries from each.


RESULTS
Self-reported psychological and social health indices such as self-image, perceived health status, and Life Satisfaction were positively related to PA in all five regions but, with a few exceptions, negatively related to SBM. Negative health indices such as health complaints and tobacco use were negatively related to PA but, with exceptions, positively related to SBM. Significant regional differences were present.


CONCLUSIONS
Regional differences in correlates of PA and SBM suggest cultural differences in potential effects of PA and SBM and the need to tailor school and public health efforts to the different meanings of PA and SBM for positive and negative health consequences.
Iannotti
Ronald J
RJ
Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, & Prevention Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Prevention Research Branch, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7510, USA. iannottr@mail.nih.gov
Janssen
Ian
I
Haug
Ellen
E
Kololo
Hanna
H
Annaheim
Beatrice
B
Borraccino
Alberto
A
D000293:Adolescent; D005060:Europe; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders