Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41670396›Full record

ArticleChild and adolescent mental health2026

Associations of Fitbit measured physical activity and sedentary behavior with mental health in U.S. youth: a quantile regression analysis.

Li Niu, Jiayi Ji, Donglan Zhang, Lihua Li, Mi Xiang, Yan Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Child and adolescent mental health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Editorial: Technology is in our ecology.Child and adolescent mental health · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Li Niu *Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1406-4542
Jiayi Ji *Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Donglan ZhangDepartment of Foundations of Medicine, Center for Population Health and Health Services Research, New York University Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY, USA.
Lihua LiDepartment of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Mi XiangSchool of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9946-9768
Yan LiDepartment of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

Funding

ABCD-USA Consortium: Coordinating CenterU24DA041147 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI SANDRA A BROWN, TERRY L. JERNIGAN · 2015 to 2026
$54.7M
ABCD-USA Consortium: Data Analysis, Informatics and Resource CenterU24DA041123 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI ANDERS M DALE · 2015 to 2026
$51.5M
Adolescent Substance Use Initiation: Disentangling neurocognitive risks from consequences using longitudinal and genetically-informed methodsU01DA041120 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI Monica Luciana, Sylia Wilson · 2015 to 2026
$34.5M
ABCD-USA Consortium: Research ProjectU01DA041089 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Joanna Jacobus, Susan F. Tapert · 2015 to 2026
$31.7M
Prospective Research Studies of Maturation (PRISM)- Research ProjectU01DA041134 · NIDA · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI ERIN MCGLADE, PERRY FRANKLIN RENSHAW · 2015 to 2026
$29.2M
ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECTU01DA041048 · NIDA · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES · PI Megan Marie Herting, ELIZABETH R SOWELL · 2015 to 2026
$28.7M
ABCD-USA Consortium: Research ProjectU01DA041106 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Mary M Heitzeg, Chandra Sekhar Sripada · 2015 to 2026
$24.9M
FIU-ABCD: Pathways and Mechanisms to Addiction in the Latino Youth of South FloridaU01DA041156 · NIDA · FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY · PI Raul Gonzalez, Angela R Laird · 2015 to 2026
$22.8M
ABCD-USA Consortium: Research ProjectU01DA041148 · NIDA · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · PI Damien A Fair, Rebekah S Huber · 2015 to 2026
$22.3M
ABCD-USA: NYC Research ProjectU01DA041174 · NIDA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI Arielle Ryan Baskin-Sommers, Betty J Casey · 2015 to 2026
$19.7M
Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Prospective Research in Studies of Maturation (PRISM) ConsortiumU01DA041117 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI LINDA CHANG, THOMAS M ERNST · 2015 to 2026
$19.5M
15/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at LIBRU01DA050989 · NIDA · LAUREATE INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH · PI ROBIN L AUPPERLE, MARTIN P. PAULUS · 2020 to 2026
$14.7M
Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities 01900310400209543National Natural Science Foundation of China 32300888National Natural Science Foundation of China 72293585NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041022NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041025NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041028NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041048NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041089NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041093NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041106NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041117NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041120NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041134NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041148NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041156NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA041174NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA050987NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA050988NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA050989NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA051016NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA051018NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA051037NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA051038NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA051039NIDA NIH HHS U24 DA041123NIDA NIH HHS U24 DA041147
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysical activity and sedentary behavior are associated with adolescent mental health. However, prior studies have not assessed whether these associations differ across varying levels of mental health severity. This study uses objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior to examine their associations with adolescent mental health and to determine how these associations vary across the distribution of mental health symptoms.

methodsThis longitudinal prospective study examined data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large cohort of children and adolescents recruited from 21 study sites in the United States. This analysis included 5640 participants whose physical activity and sedentary behavior data were recorded using Fitbit wearable devices when aged 11-12 years. Outcomes were internalizing and externalizing symptoms assessed a year later by the caregiver using the Child Behavior Checklist.

resultsMore daily steps (b = -0.43, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.29]), longer moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (b = -0.34, 95% CI [-0.47, -0.22]) and less sedentary time (b = 0.32, 95% CI [0.15, 0.48]) were each associated with fewer internalizing symptoms a year later. The associations were stronger for youth at higher internalizing symptom quantiles. Limited or no effects were found for externalizing symptoms. Sex differences were also observed.

conclusionObjectively measured daily steps, MVPA, and sedentary behavior are prospectively associated with adolescent internalizing symptoms. The associations differ substantially among adolescents with varying levels of symptom severity and between sexes. Findings may inform targeted physical activity interventions to enhance adolescent mental health.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorExerciseMental HealthSedentary BehaviorAdolescentChildFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleProspective StudiesRegression AnalysisUnited Statesadolescentmental healthPhysical activitysedentary time

Identifiers

PMID41670396
PMCPMC13474284

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.