Association Between Screen Time, Fast Foods, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: Although previous studies have shown that screen time (ST), fast foods (FFs) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption are associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents, research on these associations in Chinese adolescents is scarce. This study aimed to examine the association between ST, FFs, SSBs and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents, and explore the mediating effects of FFs and SSBs in the association between ST and depressive symptoms.Methods: This school-based nationwide survey was carried out among 14,500 students in four provinces of China. The Children's Depression Inventory was used to assess the participants' depressive symptoms. ST, FFs and SSBs consumption was measured by a self-reported questionnaire. The Bayesian multiple mediation model was used to analyze the mediation effect.Results: ST, FFs and SSBs, were more likely to be associated with depressive symptoms, and ORs (95%CI) was 1.075 (1.036-1.116), 1.062 (1.046-1.078) and 1.140 (1.115-1.166), after we adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Additionally, in Bayesian multiple mediation model, direct effect, mediating effect, total effect, the ratio of mediating effect to total effect was 0.125, 0.034, 0.159, and 0.214, respectively. All path coefficients of the three mediation paths are statistically significant (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that ST, FFs and SSBs consumption are associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents. It is likely that FFs and SSBs partially mediate the association between ST and depressive symptoms by chainmediating effects.

Health behavior patterns of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among Brazilian adolescents in a nationally representative school-based study

“…Other studies found similar results when analyzing these factors separately [49][50][51]. SSBs consumption is accompanied by several health risks, in which alcohol consumption and smoking are considered as not only as gateways for the use of other substances [19], but also risk factors for the development of mental disorders [19][20][21][22]. Thus, measures that reduce SSBs consumption as well as the use of alcohol and tobacco, are essential in ensuring adolescents' physical and psychological health.…”

“…According to the World Health Organization (WHO), SSBs consumption is a harmful food habit and is considered to be a risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD) due to the resulting increase in the intake of free sugars [10]. Excessive consumption of these beverages by adolescents is associated with overweight and obesity [11][12][13][14][15], NCD [16][17][18], and mental disorders [19][20][21][22].…”

Characteristics of the School Food Environment Affect the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Among Adolescents

“…It was possible to evaluate the association between the characteristics of the school food environment and SSB consumption in this cross-sectional study of Brazilian adolescents. It is important to emphasize that the consumption of these beverages with high energy density and low nutritional value causes damage to adolescent health (5,6,8,9,(11)(12)(13)(14), and a reduction in their consumption has been hence recommended (20).…”

“…In Brazil, the Food and Nutritional Surveillance System identified that in 2019, 65% of adolescents (n = 235,590) consumed SSB the day before the interview (2). Excessive consumption of SSB by adolescents has been associated with them being overweight and obese (3)(4)(5)(6)(7), the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases (8)(9)(10), and the incidence of mental disorders (11)(12)(13)(14).…”

Depressive Symptoms and Their Associated Factors in Vocational–Technical School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Evidence suggests that depression in adolescents may be associated with risky behaviors such as insufficient levels of physical activity [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], psychoactive substance use [ 15 ], unhealthy eating habits [ 16 , 17 , 18 ], and risky sexual behavior [ 19 , 20 ]. Experts argue that there may be a positive relationship between physical activity and brain health in adolescents, which involves both cognitive function and mental health [ 14 ].…”