Insufficient physical activity (PA) and depressive symptoms frequently co-occur during adolescence, yet longitudinal evidence on their comorbidity remains limited. This study assessed temporal trends and sociodemographic determinants of comorbid insufficient PA and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and young adults from 2016 to 2022. We analyzed data from 7,743 Chinese adolescents and young adults aged 13–21 years in the China Family Panel Studies. PA was defined according to WHO guidelines, and depressive symptoms were measured using the CES-D8 (cut-off ≥ 7). Temporal changes were evaluated using chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted associations. The prevalence of insufficient PA increased from 53.6% to 71.4%, depressive symptoms from 19.9% to 23.6%, and comorbidity from 11.6% to 17.5%. Compared with 2016, comorbidity risk was significantly higher in 2020 (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.40–2.04, p < 0.001) and 2022 (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.35–1.93, p < 0.001). Male adolescents were less likely to exhibit comorbid insufficient PA and depressive symptoms than females (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.57–0.74, p < 0.001). Older participants (19–21 years) had lower comorbidity risk compared with those aged 13–15 years (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.49–0.68, p < 0.001). Urban–rural differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.153). Comorbid insufficient PA and depressive symptoms increased substantially among Chinese adolescents and young adults from 2016 to 2022, particularly among females and younger adolescents. Targeted interventions integrating PA promotion and mental health support are urgently required to mitigate this dual burden.
Wang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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