Differential Associations Between Meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines With Mental Wellbeing and Mental Illness Among Chinese Adolescents

Purpose Contemporary mental health models simultaneously consider psychological distress and wellness. Researchers have proposed that adhering to the 24-hour movement guidelines (24-HMG) contributes to mental health. 24-HMG integrates recommendations of time distribution among sleep, screen use, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Yet, there are few studies on the relationship between meeting 24-HMG and mental health, especially mental wellbeing. This study aimed to examine the associations between adherence to 24-HMG with mental wellbeing and mental illness among Chinese adolescents. Methods Cross-sectional data of 67,281 Chinese adolescents aged 10–17 years (mean age = 13.0 years, 51.9% males) were collected by sending online questionnaires to local primary and middle schools in Shenzhen in 2021. We used multilevel generalized linear models to analyze associations between meeting 24-HMG with mental wellbeing (subjective wellbeing, resilience, and positive youth development) and mental illness (depression and anxiety). Results Only 1.7% of participants met recommendations for all three behaviors (sleep, screen use, and MVPA). Compared with meeting none of the recommendations, participants who met one or more recommendations reported significantly better performance in mental wellbeing (all p < .001); on the contrary, meeting one or more recommendations (except for only meeting the MVPA recommendation) were significantly related to lower severity of mental illness (all p < .001). The relationship between the number of recommendations met with mental well-being and mental illness indicators presented a dose-response pattern (all p < .001). Discussion Meeting 24-HMG was associated with superior mental health, including a higher propensity for mental wellbeing and a lower risk of mental illness. The importance of limiting screen time and getting enough sleep should be highlighted in promoting mental health in adolescents.