Korean J Sports Med.  2023 Mar;41(1):27-35. 10.5763/kjsm.2023.41.1.27.

Association between Sedentary Behavior and General Anxiety Disorder by Change in Physical Activity after COVID-19 among Adolescents

• Park Do
• Kim E
• Kim YS

• KMID: 2539687
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2023.41.1.27

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the association between sedentary behavior and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) according to changes in physical activity after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korean adolescents.
Methods
This study included 52,723 South Korean middle and high school students who had obtained a complete Korea youth risk behavior survey, 2021. To identify the association between sitting time and GAD (GAD-7 scale≥10), odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using complex sample logistic regression analysis (p＜0.05).
Results
After adjusting for confounding variables, higher sitting time was associated with higher GAD risk (OR [95% CI]: 5–10 hours, 1.15 [1.04–1.27]; 10–15 hours, 1.23 [1.12–1.35]; ≥15 hours, 1.28 [1.15–1.43]). In adolescents whose physical activity has not changed or has increased after COVID-19, as the sitting time increased, the OR (95% CI) of GAD increased (5–10 hours, 1.15 [1.02–1.31]; 10–15 hours, 1.20 [1.07–1.35]; ≥15 hours, 1.35 [1.17–1.54]). But, not in adolescents whose physical activity has decreased after COVID-19.
Conclusion
We observed the independent associations between sedentary behavior and GAD, and sedentary behavior and GAD are associated by change in physical activity after COVID-19 among adolescents. Therefore, in the pandemic era reducing sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity is necessary for adolescents to enhance mental health and decrease the case of GAD.

Keyword

Sedentary behavior; Anxiety disorders; Adolescents; COVID-19; Mental disorders