Zeng-Bao Hu, Ke-Qin Ding, Stuart McDonald, Qing-Hai Gong, Yi Lin
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: The occurrence of depressive symptoms among adolescents presents a significant public health challenge. However, little is known about the influence of lifestyle changes on depressive symptoms among adolescents after the cancellation of the zero-COVID policy in China. This study aims to examine the associations between clusters of lifestyle behaviors and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents during and after the zero-COVID policy period.
Methods: A school-based 2-year longitudinal study was conducted from September 2022 to October 2023 in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Two-step cluster analysis was used to identify clusters based on adolescents' levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activities, screen-based sedentary time, sleep duration, and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and deep-fried food in each period. A binary generalized linear model (GLM) regression was used to estimate and examine associations between lifestyle clusters and depressive symptoms.
Results: A total of 2705 adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years were included in the analysis. The prevalence of depressive symptoms in the zero-COVID policy period was lower than that in the post-zero-COVID policy period (20.00% vs. 25.21%, p < 0.01). Five lifestyle clusters were recognized in each time period.
Conclusions: In general, unhealthy lifestyle clusters were associated with a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms, with the association being stronger and more significant in the post-zero-COVID policy period. Effective interventions for adolescents' lifestyle behaviors, such as health education programs, are needed to reduce long-term negative effects on their mental health in the post-pandemic period and potential future pandemics.
期刊介绍:
Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine: an Open Access Journal (HPBM) publishes theoretical and empirical contributions on all aspects of research and practice into psychosocial, behavioral and biomedical aspects of health. HPBM publishes international, interdisciplinary research with diverse methodological approaches on: Assessment and diagnosis Narratives, experiences and discourses of health and illness Treatment processes and recovery Health cognitions and behaviors at population and individual levels Psychosocial an behavioral prevention interventions Psychosocial determinants and consequences of behavior Social and cultural contexts of health and illness, health disparities Health, illness and medicine Application of advanced information and communication technology.