Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study
Abstract Objective The aim of this research was to examine the bidirectional association between self-reported symptoms of mental disorder and physical activity among a large sample of Canadian secondary school students over time. Methods Linked survey data were obtained from 28,567 grade 9 to 12 st...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01201-z |
| _version_ | 1819118004591394816 |
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| author | M. Claire Buchan Isabella Romano Alexandra Butler Rachel E. Laxer Karen A. Patte Scott T. Leatherdale |
| author_facet | M. Claire Buchan Isabella Romano Alexandra Butler Rachel E. Laxer Karen A. Patte Scott T. Leatherdale |
| author_sort | M. Claire Buchan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective The aim of this research was to examine the bidirectional association between self-reported symptoms of mental disorder and physical activity among a large sample of Canadian secondary school students over time. Methods Linked survey data were obtained from 28,567 grade 9 to 12 students across Canada participating in two waves of the COMPASS Study (2017–18; 2018–19). Autoregressive cross-lagged models were run to examine the reciprocal relationships between self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and symptoms of depression (CESD-10) and anxiety (GAD-7). Models were stratified by gender, and accounted for grade, ethno-racial identity, and school-level clustering. Results Autoregressive associations show that neither symptoms of anxiety nor depression, at baseline, were predictive of mean MVPA at follow-up – consistent for the full sample and among both males and females. Higher MVPA among males at baseline was associated with lower symptoms of both anxiety (β = − 0.03, p = 0.002) and depression (β = − 0.05, p < 0.001) at follow-up. However, among females, higher MVPA at baseline was associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (β = 0.03, p < 0.001), but not symptoms of depression (β = 0.01, p = 0.073), at follow-up. Conclusion In our large sample of Canadian secondary school students, associations between physical activity and symptoms of mental disorder were not bi-directional, and these relationships differed in males and females. This study illustrates the complex nature of the relationship between physical activity and symptoms of mental disorder among youth. While results support the benefits of promoting physical activity among males to prevent or manage internalizing symptoms, the relationship among females warrants further investigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T05:41:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-86a7c89e4434478ab41ac44bcd066ad7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T05:41:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-86a7c89e4434478ab41ac44bcd066ad72022-12-21T18:37:10ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682021-10-0118111110.1186/s12966-021-01201-zBi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS studyM. Claire Buchan0Isabella Romano1Alexandra Butler2Rachel E. Laxer3Karen A. Patte4Scott T. Leatherdale5School of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooPublic Health OntarioDepartment of Health Sciences, Brock UniversitySchool of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooAbstract Objective The aim of this research was to examine the bidirectional association between self-reported symptoms of mental disorder and physical activity among a large sample of Canadian secondary school students over time. Methods Linked survey data were obtained from 28,567 grade 9 to 12 students across Canada participating in two waves of the COMPASS Study (2017–18; 2018–19). Autoregressive cross-lagged models were run to examine the reciprocal relationships between self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and symptoms of depression (CESD-10) and anxiety (GAD-7). Models were stratified by gender, and accounted for grade, ethno-racial identity, and school-level clustering. Results Autoregressive associations show that neither symptoms of anxiety nor depression, at baseline, were predictive of mean MVPA at follow-up – consistent for the full sample and among both males and females. Higher MVPA among males at baseline was associated with lower symptoms of both anxiety (β = − 0.03, p = 0.002) and depression (β = − 0.05, p < 0.001) at follow-up. However, among females, higher MVPA at baseline was associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (β = 0.03, p < 0.001), but not symptoms of depression (β = 0.01, p = 0.073), at follow-up. Conclusion In our large sample of Canadian secondary school students, associations between physical activity and symptoms of mental disorder were not bi-directional, and these relationships differed in males and females. This study illustrates the complex nature of the relationship between physical activity and symptoms of mental disorder among youth. While results support the benefits of promoting physical activity among males to prevent or manage internalizing symptoms, the relationship among females warrants further investigation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01201-zPhysical activityDepressionAnxietyAdolescentCross-lagged model |
| spellingShingle | M. Claire Buchan Isabella Romano Alexandra Butler Rachel E. Laxer Karen A. Patte Scott T. Leatherdale Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Physical activity Depression Anxiety Adolescent Cross-lagged model |
| title | Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study |
| title_full | Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study |
| title_fullStr | Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study |
| title_short | Bi-directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of Canadian youth: a sex-stratified analysis of students in the COMPASS study |
| title_sort | bi directional relationships between physical activity and mental health among a large sample of canadian youth a sex stratified analysis of students in the compass study |
| topic | Physical activity Depression Anxiety Adolescent Cross-lagged model |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01201-z |
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