Objectively measured physical activity and symptoms of psychopathology in general population adolescents from the SIGMA cohort

Background: Less physical activity (PA) has been associated with the development of psychopathology in adolescence. Few studies, however, have focused on understanding the nature of the PA - psychopathology relationship and existing research relies mostly on self-report PA measures, which are less reliable. In this study, we investigated the nature of the relationships between objectively measured light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and psychopathology symptoms in adolescents. Methods: 934 adolescents (63% female) aged 11-19 years from the SIGMA cohort wore the Fitbit Charge 2 measuring LPA and MVPA during at least three days. Participants completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-53, assessing general symptoms of psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism. Model selection was conducted in a subset of the dataset (n = 464) to determine the best fit. The optimal model was then fitted to the remainder of the dataset (n = 470). Results: The results from the selected linear model indicated a non-significant relationship between LPA, MVPA, and symptoms of general psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism. Conclusions: This study does not provide evidence that higher durations of LPA and MVPA alone relate to reduced symptoms of general psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism in the general adolescent population. A more integrative approach considering the interdependency of multiple lifestyle factors, as well as the domain, context, and individual experience of PA may add value to the understanding of the PApsychopathology relationship.

Automated summary

This study examined the relationships between objectively measured light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and psychopathology symptoms in adolescents. The results showed a non-significant relationship between LPA, MVPA, and symptoms of general psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism. The study suggests that an integrative approach considering multiple lifestyle factors and individual experiences of physical activity may provide a better understanding of the relationship between PA and psychopathology.