- Impact of Physical Activity on the Association Between Unhealthy Adolescent Behaviors and Anxiety Among Korean Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study
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Hyo-jung Lee, Jeong Pil Choi, Kunhee Oh, Jin-Young Min, Kyoung-Bok Min
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J Prev Med Public Health. 2023;56(6):552-562. Published online November 15, 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.23.313
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 Abstract
Summary
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- Objectives
Adolescents who engage in unhealthy behaviors are particularly vulnerable to anxiety. We hypothesized that participation in physical activity could influence the relationship between anxiety and unhealthy behaviors in adolescents. These behaviors include smoking, alcohol consumption, and unsafe sexual activity.
Methods
This study included 50 301 students from the first year of middle school to the third year of high school, all from Korea. The unhealthy adolescent behaviors examined included current alcohol consumption, current smoking, and unsafe sexual behavior. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire (GAD-7).
Results
The participants had a mean age of 15.19 years and an average GAD-7 score of 4.23. No significant differences were observed in GAD-7 score among exercising participants when categorized by smoking status (p=0.835) or unsafe sexual behavior (p=0.489). In contrast, participants in the non-exercise group who engaged in these behaviors demonstrated significantly higher GAD-7 scores (p<0.001 and 0.016, respectively). The only significant interaction was found between unsafe sexual behavior and exercise (p=0.009). Based on logistic regression analysis, within the non-exercise group, significant positive associations were observed between current smoking and anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.57), as well as between unsafe sexual behavior and anxiety (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.73). However, within the exercise group, no significant association was found between anxiety and either smoking or unsafe sexual behavior. Furthermore, no significant interaction was observed between unhealthy behaviors and exercise.
Conclusions
These findings are insufficient to conclude that physical activity influences the relationship between unhealthy behaviors and anxiety.
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Summary
Korean summary
이 연구는 신체활동이 한국 청소년들사이에서 불안과 불건강행태간의 관계에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 조사하였다. 이 연구에서 신체활동을 하지 않는 청소년에서만 흡연 및 불안전한 성행위와 같은 불건강행태와 불안 간의 유의미한 연관성을 보였음에도 불구하고, 이러한 불건강행태와 운동 간에는 같은 방향의 유의미한 상호작용이 관찰되지 않았다. 따라서 이 연구는 신체 활동이 청소년들의 불건강행태와 불안간의 관계에 직접 미치는 영향에 대해 명확하게 결론을 내릴 수 없었다.
Key Message
Among Korean adolescents, this study found that significant associations between unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and unsafe sex, and anxiety were only observed in adolescents who did not engage in physical activity. Despite this, no significant interaction was observed between these unhealthy behaviors and exercise. Contrary to popular belief, this study concludes that the evidence is insufficient to definitively say that physical activity influences the relationship between adolescent unhealthy behaviors and anxiety.
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