Racial Differences in Associations between Movement Composition and Well-being, Anxiety and Depression among Canadian Adolescents

Abstract Overview

Background:
Differences in associations between movement behaviours and mental health outcomes have been reported in youth samples stratified for sex and race, suggesting potential differential susceptibility among socially marginalized youth.

Purpose:
To assess which combinations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), screen time, and sleep were associated with best and worst mental well-being and mental ill-health in a sample of adolescents; and whether associations differed based on racial identity.

Methods:
Cross-sectional self-report data from a 2021-2022 cohort of Canadian secondary school students included 15,679 Racialized, 47,736 White, and 4,143 Multiracial youth. Associations between movement compositions with mental health status and interactions based on race were assessed with regression. Behaviour combinations where predictions were in the top 5% were deemed “Goldilocks” compositions.

Results:
Mean (SD) age was 14.8 (2.3) years. Race significantly modified the association with all mental health outcomes. Dose response gradients illustrate that the association between sleep duration and mental health is stronger for White youth than Racialized or Multiracial youth. At lower volumes of screen use, the association with mental health was also more negative among White youth. No major difference between racial groups was observed for the MVPA dose-response gradient. Goldilocks compositions were similar across racial groups and tended to support maximizing sleep and MVPA while minimizing screen use.

Conclusions:
Racialized youth appear to be accruing less benefits from similar amounts of sleep as White peers. Sleep quality is hypothesized to be a potential contributor to this difference.

Practical implications:
The whole day matters for the relationship between movement and health indicators. Promoting sleep quality, not just quantity, may be especially important for promoting health in racialized communities.

Funding:
Analyses were supported by an anonymous donation to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario to develop the Precision Child and Youth Mental Health Initiative.

Additional Authors

Name: Diego Augusto Santos Silva

Affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina. Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, 88040900, Brazil

Presenting Author: no

Name: Nicholas Kuzik

Affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8L1

Presenting Author: no

Name: Richard Bélanger

Affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medecine, Université Laval, 1050, Avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6

Presenting Author: no

Name: Valerie Carson

Affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation; University of Alberta, 8840 114 St., Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2H9

Presenting Author: no

Name: Jean-Philippe Chaput

Affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8L1

Presenting Author: no

Name: Guy Faulkner

Affiliation: School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Lower Mall Research Station, 2259 Lower Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

Presenting Author: no

Name: Mark Ferro

Affiliation: School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1

Presenting Author: no

Name: Anne-Marie Turcotte-Tremblay

Affiliation: VITAM Research Center on Sustainable Health, CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, 2480 de la Canardière, Quebec city, Quebec, G1J 2G1, Canada

Presenting Author: no

Name: Scott Leatherdale

Affiliation: School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1

Presenting Author: no

Name: Karen Patte

Affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Saint Catharines, ON, Canada, L2S 3A1

Presenting Author: no

Name: Mark Tremblay

Affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8L1

Presenting Author: no

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