Linking sedentary behavior and mental distress in higher education: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Sedentary behavior among university students could negatively affect their mental health.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of mental health (anxiety and depression) and sedentary behavior between gender in Health Degrees at the University of Zaragoza.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Participants: Sample of 257 University students who completed an online questionnaire.

Methods: Sedentary behavior was assessed with the SBQ questionnaire. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the GADS questionnaire. The Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression models were used.

Results: In comparison to men, female students with symptoms of anxiety spend more time in total engaged in sedentary behaviors (10.56 ± 4.83) vs. (7.8 ± 3.28;  < 0.001) and mentally-passive sedentary activities [2.24 (1.57) vs. 1.15 (0.90;  < 0.005)]. Female students at risk of depression also spend more hours engaged in mentally-passive sedentary behaviors in comparison to men (8.28 ± 50.70 vs. 1.27 ± 1.02;  = 0.009).

Conclusion: Female students at risk of anxiety and/or depression spend more time engaged in sedentary activities in comparison to male students. The risk of anxiety and depression is associated with the total number of hours a day spent engaged in sedentary behaviors and with mentally passive behaviors, but not mentally active behaviors.