Exploration of High School Student-Athletes’ 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Their Impact on Positive Mental Health

Research indicates that movement behaviors are intricately linked to mental health outcomes. Although previous research has generally focused on the detrimental effects of poor movement behaviors, the present study took a closer look at how adherence to movement behavior guidelines may contribute to positive mental health outcomes among high school student-athletes. The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Behavior Guidelines (24-HMBG) were used to frame our assessment of movement behaviors, being respectively ≥ 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, ≤ two hours per day of recreational screentime, and eight to ten hours of sleep per night for adolescents. Participants’ physical activity, screentime, and sleep time were assessed using self-reported survey data collected during the 2019-2020 school year. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form was used to measure positive mental health. Although most participants met the physical activity guidelines, findings highlighted how only 1.56% of participants met all three 24-HMBG, demonstrating significant challenges in aligning daily behaviors with current recommendations. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that screentime positively and sleep time negatively predicted positive mental health. Physical activity showed no significant association. The present study sheds light on the (mis)alignment of movement behaviors with recommended guidelines and suggests future research be conducted on how to best promote healthy behaviors and enhance mental well-being among high school student-athletes.