Associations of Adherence to the 24hour Movement Guidelines with Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety: the Mediating Role of Physical Fitness

Better adherence to 24hour movement guidelines was associated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety in Chinese students. While perceived fitness was independently linked to improved mental health, its mediating role appears limited. Future studies should incorporate objective fitness assessments and explore additional mediating pathways to fully understand how movement behaviours impact students mental well-being.