Effect of university students’ sedentary behavior on stress, anxiety, and depression

Purpose We identified the effect of sedentary behavior on stress, anxiety, and depression among Korean university students. Design and Methods Data were collected from 244 students using self‐reported sitting time, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies‐Depression Scale. Findings Mean sitting time was 7.96 h per day. As sitting hours increased, university students’ stress, anxiety, and depression significantly increased despite controlling for sex, economic level, body mass index, underlying disease, and health self‐management. Practical Implications Intervention programs that reduce sedentary behavior and improve physical activity and mental health for university students are necessary.