From movement to mood: the exploration of the relationship between adolescents' 24-hour movement behaviors and subjective well-being

In light of the limited research concerning how movement behaviors collectively influence the subjective wellbeing of Chinese adolescents, as well as the lack of customized 24-hour movement guidelines, this cross-sectional study investigates the association between adolescents' adherence to these guidelines and their subjective wellbeing. Specifically, it delves into the mediating roles of screen time (ST) and sleep duration (SLP) in the connection between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and subjective well-being. By distributing paper-based questionnaires assessing movement behaviors and the subjective well-being ladder scale to middle schools, we collected valid cross-sectional data from 616 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years (mean age = 14.86 years, 43.4 % males) in southwest China. The findings indicate that adhering to the MVPA guideline alone shows no significant association with subjective well-being, whereas adhering to the guidelines for ST, SLP and combinations of these guidelines shows a significant positive relationship with individuals' subjective well-being. Furthermore, the number of 24-hour movement guidelines adhered to (1, 2, or 3) is significantly associated with subjective well-being. Importantly, MVPA is directly associated with subjective well-being and also does so indirectly via the mediating roles of ST and SLP. In the future, health promotion strategies and intervention measures should be established for adolescents' 24-hour movement behaviors, aiming to boosting their physical activity, reducing sedentary time, ensuring adequate sleep, and ultimately enhancing their subjective well-being.