Are Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Mental Health Related During Childhood, Preadolescence, and Adolescence? 11-Year Results From the German Motorik-Modul Longitudinal Study

Mental health (MH) and behavioral health are fundamental to a good quality of life. Only a few studies haveinvestigated the association between behavioral health (e.g., physical activity (PA), screen time (ST)) and MH fromchildhood to adolescence. Therefore, we investigated the relationships of PA and ST with MH by sex in an 11-yearlongitudinal cohort study of German schoolchildren during 2003–2017. A subsample (n=686; 55.2% female) ofparticipants from the German Motorik-Modul (MoMo) Longitudinal Study who participated in all 3 measurementphases (mean ages: time 1 (baseline; 2003–2006), 5.57 (standard deviation (SD), 1.00) years; time 2 (wave 1;2009–2012), 11.85 (SD, 1.03) years;time 3 (wave 2;2014–2017), 16.86 (SD, 1.04) years) were analyzed with regardto PA, ST, and MH (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems,prosocial behavior, and overall strengths and difficulties).Path panel prediction models were fitted with time 1, time2, and time 3 PA, ST, and MH indicators.PA predicted less television (TV)/video watching in females, and TV/videowatching predicted personal computer (PC)/Internet use in both sexes. Behavior and MH results suggested that,for females, higher TV/video watching and PC/Internet use was related to higher MH challenges over the courseof maturation. Some preadolescent males’ MH challenges increased ST (TV/video watching and PC/Internetuse) in adolescence. Researchers should explore innovative and effective methods for reducing childhood ST,especially among females with early signs of MH issues, and addressing preadolescent males’ MH challenges.