Social isolation is associated with higher leisure-time sedentary behavior and lower physical activity practice: A multi-country analysis of data from 79 countries from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey
Abstract
Aim To investigate the association of social isolation with physical activity and leisure-time sedentary behavior among adolescents. Methods We used data from the Global School-based Health Survey, including a representative sample of 296,861 adolescents (11-18y) from 79 countries (48.9% girls, 14.5 ± 1.6 years). Social isolation was estimated by combining the self-reported number of friends and loneliness perception. Physical activity and leisure-time sedentary behavior were assessed through questionnaires. Multinomial logistic regression models were created to analyze the associations of social isolation with physical activity and leisure-time sedentary behavior. Results Compared with those practicing ≥60 min of physical activity during 1-4 days/week, social isolation was associated with a higher prevalence of not practicing physical activity (Prevalence ratio [PR]:1.24; 95%CI:1.19-1.29), and a lower prevalence of practicing during ≥5d/wk. (PR:0.91; 95%CI:0.88-0.94). Compared with Conclusion Reducing social isolation could be an important component of future interventions to reduce sedentary behavior and physical inactivity among adolescents.
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Adolescents may be at increased risk of experiencing loneliness.
“Given that adolescents may be at increased risk of experiencing loneliness (Werneck et al., 2023), understanding how books can facilitate feelings of social connection is crucial.”
From How Does Reading Fiction Support Adolescents’ Wellbeing? A Qualitative Study Examining Positive Affect, Connection and Personal Growth (2025) · cites this paper as Werneck et al., 2023
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- Authors
- Werneck, A. O., Araujo, R. H. O., Oyeyemi, A. L., & Silva, D. R.
- Affiliations
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Arizona State University (US)
- Universidad Autónoma de Chile (CL)
- Corresponding author
- Werneck, André O.
- Venue
- Preventive Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2023-10
- Volume
- 175
- Pages
- 107677
- ISSN
- 0091-7435 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4386013212
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 2.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
- Keywords
- social isolation, loneliness, physical activity, leisure-time sedentary behavior, physical inactivity, adolescents, Global School-based Student Health Survey, social networks, sedentary behavior interventions
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Leisure Activities, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Schools, Social Isolation, Students, Global Health, Exercise, Prevalence, Sedentary Behavior
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