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Research article
Andreas Åvitsland
Universitetet i Stavanger
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4357-1615
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Studies indicate that health-related components of physical fitness are associated with mental health outcomes. However, research is scarce concerning this relationship in young adolescents in general and non-existent in Norwegian populations specifically. The aim of the study was to examine whether body composition, muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with self-reported mental health in Norwegian adolescents.
Methods: Adolescents from four regions of Norway (n = 1486; mean age = 13.9; girls = 50.6%) participated. Self-reported mental health (psychological difficulties) was measured by completing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Objective measures were taken of their cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and body composition. Linear mixed effects models were conducted to assess the associations between the health-related components of physical fitness and psychological difficulties.
Results: Body composition was not associated with psychological difficulties. Muscular strength independently was associated with psychological difficulties, but when all independent variables were entered in the fully adjusted model, only cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with psychological difficulties. School clusters were included as random effects and all models were controlled for sex, socioeconomic status and birthplace (domestic or foreign).
Conclusions: There was a small but significant inverse association between higher cardiorespiratory fitness and lower levels of psychological difficulties in Norwegian adolescents. The results suggest that muscular strength is not associated with psychological difficulties in adolescents, when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness. Future research on how exercise affects mental health outcomes should investigate whether there is a greater effect for those who improve their cardiorespiratory fitness, compared to those who improve other components of fitness.
Keywords
physical fitness, mental health, strengths and difficulties, Norway, adolescence, cross-sectional
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On 22 Jan, 2020
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On 30 Apr, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 29 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 07 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 06 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 02 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Apr, 2020
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Editorial decision: Major revision
On 18 Mar, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 16 Mar, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 13 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 05 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Feb, 2020
Editor assigned
On 23 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 23 Jan, 2020
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On 22 Jan, 2020
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A new preprint design is coming!
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See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Andreas Åvitsland
Universitetet i Stavanger
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4357-1615
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 05 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 04 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 22 Jan, 2020
Version 2
Posted 08 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Apr, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 29 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 07 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 06 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 02 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 18 Mar, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 16 Mar, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 13 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 05 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Feb, 2020
Editor assigned
On 23 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 23 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 22 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 22 Jan, 2020
First submitted
On 14 Jan, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Background: Studies indicate that health-related components of physical fitness are associated with mental health outcomes. However, research is scarce concerning this relationship in young adolescents in general and non-existent in Norwegian populations specifically. The aim of the study was to examine whether body composition, muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with self-reported mental health in Norwegian adolescents.
Methods: Adolescents from four regions of Norway (n = 1486; mean age = 13.9; girls = 50.6%) participated. Self-reported mental health (psychological difficulties) was measured by completing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Objective measures were taken of their cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and body composition. Linear mixed effects models were conducted to assess the associations between the health-related components of physical fitness and psychological difficulties.
Results: Body composition was not associated with psychological difficulties. Muscular strength independently was associated with psychological difficulties, but when all independent variables were entered in the fully adjusted model, only cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with psychological difficulties. School clusters were included as random effects and all models were controlled for sex, socioeconomic status and birthplace (domestic or foreign).
Conclusions: There was a small but significant inverse association between higher cardiorespiratory fitness and lower levels of psychological difficulties in Norwegian adolescents. The results suggest that muscular strength is not associated with psychological difficulties in adolescents, when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness. Future research on how exercise affects mental health outcomes should investigate whether there is a greater effect for those who improve their cardiorespiratory fitness, compared to those who improve other components of fitness.
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