Loneliness Perception Is Lower Among Ballroom Dancers Aged > 50 Years

Abstract

METHODS:A sample of 513 undergraduate students (Mage 19.1 ± 1.2 years; 348 females; 24.4% nonwhite) reported perceived stress level and hours per week of engagement in physical activity, screen time, and sleep. Participants then participated in a body composition assessment (using bioelectrical impedance analysis; yielding individuals' percent body fat) and a VO2max aerobic fitness assessment (using a maximal graded exercise test; yielding individuals' ageand sex-adjusted aerobic fitness percentile). RESULTS: No relationships between percent body fat or aerobic fitness and stress were identified. Stepwise hierarchical regression analyses identified that screen time, sleep, and the threeway interaction of screen time, sleep, and physical activity were predictive of perceived stress levels, over and above the influence of demographic factors (Fchange(4, 508) = 9.3, p < 0.001, f 2 = 0.05 [95% CI: 0.01 to 0.09], R 2 change = 0.05). Post-hoc decomposition revealed that higher levels of physical activity and sleep both mitigated the relationship between screen time and perceived stress. Specifically, the relationship between total weekly screen time and stress was only apparent when total weekly physical activity was low and total weekly sleep was low to moderate, (B's ≥ 0.01 [95% CI: 0.01 to 0.03], SE B's = 0.01, β's ≥ 0.13, p's ≤ 0.003). CONCLUSION: These findings provide important context about the ways in which health behavior in multiple areas may impact students' well-being -and could be used to inform future intervention work in the area of stress reduction.