IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i20p7509-d428536.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Are Associated with Children’s Psychological Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Margaret M. Thomas

    (Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia)

  • Jessica Gugusheff

    (Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
    Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health, St Leonards 2065, Australia)

  • Heather J. Baldwin

    (Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
    Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health, St Leonards 2065, Australia)

  • Joanne Gale

    (Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia)

  • Sinead Boylan

    (Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia)

  • Seema Mihrshahi

    (Department of Health Systems and Populations, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde 2109, Australia)

Abstract

Protecting children’s mental health is important and studies have shown that diet and exercise can have a positive impact. There are limited data available, however, from representative populations of children on the relationship between regular healthy lifestyle behaviours and psychological health. Data were obtained from the New South Wales Child Population Health Survey, 2013–2014. Parents were asked about diet, physical activity and screen time behaviours and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for one child aged 5–15. Higher SDQ scores indicate poorer psychological health and risk for mental health problems. Multivariable linear and logistic regression examined the relationships among dietary consumption, physical activity, screen time and SDQ scores, adjusting for potential confounding. Meeting screen time recommendations was most strongly associated with a lower SDQ total difficulties score (5–10 years: −1.56 (−2.68, −0.44); 11–15 years: −2.12 (−3.11, −1.12)). Children and adolescents who met screen time recommendations were also significantly less likely to have any score in the at-risk range. Children and adolescents meeting vegetable intake guidelines had significantly lower total difficulties scores (5–10 years: −1.54 (−3.03, −0.05); 11–15 years: −1.19 (−3.60, −0.39)), as did adolescents meeting discretionary food guidelines (−1.16 (−2.14, −0.18)) and children consuming the recommended fruit intake (−1.26 (−2.42, −0.10)). Our findings indicate that more effective interventions to increase the proportion of young Australians who meet the guidelines for diet and screen time would contribute to protecting their mental health.

Suggested Citation

  • Margaret M. Thomas & Jessica Gugusheff & Heather J. Baldwin & Joanne Gale & Sinead Boylan & Seema Mihrshahi, 2020. "Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Are Associated with Children’s Psychological Health: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-11, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7509-:d:428536
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7509/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7509/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. O'Neil, A. & Quirk, S.E. & Housden, S. & Brennan, S.L. & Williams, L.J. & Pasco, J.A. & Berk, M. & Jacka, F.N., 2014. "Relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents: A systematic review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(10), pages 31-42.
    2. Travis J. Saunders & Jeff K. Vallance, 2017. "Screen Time and Health Indicators Among Children and Youth: Current Evidence, Limitations and Future Directions," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 323-331, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Joanna Baran & Aneta Weres & Justyna Wyszyńska & Grzegorz Pitucha & Ewelina Czenczek-Lewandowska & Wojciech Rusek & Justyna Leszczak & Artur Mazur, 2020. "60 Minutes Per Day in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity as a Natural Health Protector in Young Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-11, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Joanna Baj-Korpak & Marian Jan Stelmach & Kamil Zaworski & Piotr Lichograj & Marek Wochna, 2022. "Assessment of Motor Abilities and Physical Fitness in Youth in the Context of Talent Identification—OSF Test," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Javier Sevil-Serrano & Alberto Aibar-Solana & Ángel Abós & José Antonio Julián & Luis García-González, 2019. "Healthy or Unhealthy? The Cocktail of Health-Related Behavior Profiles in Spanish Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Friederike Elsner & Lea Ellen Matthiessen & Dominika Średnicka-Tober & Wolfgang Marx & Adrienne O’Neil & Ailsa A. Welch & Richard Peter Hayhoe & Suzanne Higgs & Marja van Vliet & Ephimia Morphew-Lu & , 2022. "Identifying Future Study Designs for Mental Health and Social Wellbeing Associated with Diets of a Cohort Living in Eco-Regions: Findings from the INSUM Expert Workshop," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Rachael Sinclair & Lynne Millar & Steven Allender & Wendy Snowdon & Gade Waqa & Felice Jacka & Marj Moodie & Solveig Petersen & Boyd Swinburn, 2016. "The Cross-Sectional Association between Diet Quality and Depressive Symptomology amongst Fijian Adolescents," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-12, August.
    5. Elvar S. Saevarsson & Vaka Rognvaldsdottir & Runa Stefansdottir & Erlingur Johannsson, 2021. "Organized Sport Participation, Physical Activity, Sleep and Screen Time in 16-Year-Old Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-10, March.
    6. Enza Mozzillo & Eugenio Zito & Valeria Calcaterra & Nicola Corciulo & Mario Di Pietro & Anna Di Sessa & Roberto Franceschi & Maria Rosaria Licenziati & Giulio Maltoni & Giuseppe Morino & Barbara Predi, 2021. "Poor Health Related Quality of Life and Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits in Weight-Loss Treatment-Seeking Youth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, September.
    7. Svein Barene & Andreas Ruud-Tronsmoen & Patrick Foss Johansen, 2022. "Associations between Demographic Characteristics, Lifestyle Factors and School-Related Conditions and Symptoms of Mental Health Problems in Norwegian Upper Secondary School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, August.
    8. Chloe C. Dedryver & Cécile Knai, 2021. "‘It’s Easily the Lowest I’ve Ever, Ever Got to’: A Qualitative Study of Young Adults’ Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Lockdowns in the UK," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-11, November.
    9. Geeta Appannah & Nor Aishah Emi & Wan Ying Gan & Zalilah Mohd Shariff & Nurainul Hana Shamsuddin & Azriyanti Anuar Zaini & Mahenderan Appukutty, 2020. "The Relationships between a Dietary Pattern Linked to Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Life Satisfaction in Early Adolescence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-12, July.
    10. Roberto Mosquera & Mofioluwasademi Odunowo & Trent McNamara & Xiongfei Guo & Ragan Petrie, 2020. "The economic effects of Facebook," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 23(2), pages 575-602, June.
    11. Charlotte Skau Pawlowski & Jonas Vestergaard Nielsen & Tanja Schmidt, 2021. "A Ban on Smartphone Usage during Recess Increased Children’s Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Rosario Pastor & Noemi Pinilla & Josep A. Tur, 2021. "The Economic Cost of Diet and Its Association with Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in a Cohort of Spanish Primary Schoolchildren," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-10, January.
    13. Ruben Sanchez-Sabate & Esteban Zunino & Yasna Badilla-Briones & Natalia Celedon Celis & Daniel Caro Saldías, 2021. "Chilean Digital Press Coverage of the Relation between Diet and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, February.
    14. Fumarco, Luca & Hartmann, Sven A. & Principe, Francesco, 2024. "A Neglected Determinant of Eating Behaviors: Relative Age," IZA Discussion Papers 16920, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Natalia Albaladejo-Blázquez & Rosario Ferrer-Cascales & Nicolás Ruiz-Robledillo & Miriam Sánchez-Sansegundo & Violeta Clement-Carbonell & Ana Zaragoza-Martí, 2018. "Poor Dietary Habits in Bullied Adolescents: The Moderating Effects of Diet on Depression," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-10, July.
    16. Chen, Qihui, 2021. "Population policy, family size and child malnutrition in Vietnam – Testing the trade-off between child quantity and quality from a child nutrition perspective," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    17. Sarahjane Belton & Johann Issartel & Stephen Behan & Hannah Goss & Cameron Peers, 2021. "The Differential Impact of Screen Time on Children’s Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, August.
    18. Heng Yaw Yong & Zalilah Mohd Shariff & Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof & Zulida Rejali & Yvonne Yee Siang Tee & Jacques Bindels & Eline M. van der Beek, 2019. "Pre-Pregnancy BMI Influences the Association of Dietary Quality and Gestational Weight Gain: The SECOST Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-12, October.
    19. Cheuk-yeung Ho & Albert Lee, 2022. "Cultivating a Healthy Living Environment for Adolescents in the Post-COVID Era in Hong Kong: Exploring Youth Health Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-14, June.
    20. Joyce Slater & Bhanu Pilli & Aynslie Hinds & Alan Katz & Marcelo L. Urquia & Julianne Sanguins & Chris Green & Jaime Cidro & Dan Chateau & Nathan Nickel, 2023. "Food Behaviours and Health Indicators in Manitoba Adolescents and Relation to the Healthy Eating Index," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-13, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7509-:d:428536. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.