Associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, screen time and mental health among Chinese school children

To assess the independent and joint associations between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), screen time and mental health among Chinese school-aged children, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 primary schools in Wuhan city, China. Children self-reported ST, and their height, weight and CRF were measured. Mental health (anxiety, depressive symptom, and self-esteem) was assessed by self-administered questionnaires. A total of 805 children aged 9.1 ± 0.6 years participated in this study. High ST was associated with significantly increased risk for anxiety and low self-esteem, while high CRF was associated with a decreased risk of low self-esteem. In the joint model, children with low ST and high CRF showed the lowest risk for anxiety (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.20–0.89) and low self-esteem (OR:0.44, 95%CI: 0.24–0.82). High ST and low CRF were negatively associated with mental health in Chinese schoolchildren. Health care and interventions on limiting ST and improving CRF level are warranted to promote the mental health in this population.