Association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13-18

YANG Ruolan; CAI Shan; MA Ning; DANG Jiajia; LIU Yunfei; ZHANG Yihang; CHEN Ziyue; LI Jiaxin; HUANG Tianyu; LU Lili; SUN Ziyue; YANG Yang; HU Peijin; MA Jun; SONG Yi

doi:10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025285

Volume 46 Issue 9

Sep. 2025

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Article Navigation > CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH > 2025 > 46(9): 1232-1236

YANG Ruolan, CAI Shan, MA Ning, DANG Jiajia, LIU Yunfei, ZHANG Yihang, CHEN Ziyue, LI Jiaxin, HUANG Tianyu, LU Lili, SUN Ziyue, YANG Yang, HU Peijin, MA Jun, SONG Yi. Association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13-18[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(9): 1232-1236. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025285

Citation:

YANG Ruolan, CAI Shan, MA Ning, DANG Jiajia, LIU Yunfei, ZHANG Yihang, CHEN Ziyue, LI Jiaxin, HUANG Tianyu, LU Lili, SUN Ziyue, YANG Yang, HU Peijin, MA Jun, SONG Yi. Association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13-18[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(9): 1232-1236. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025285

Citation:

YANG Ruolan, CAI Shan, MA Ning, DANG Jiajia, LIU Yunfei, ZHANG Yihang, CHEN Ziyue, LI Jiaxin, HUANG Tianyu, LU Lili, SUN Ziyue, YANG Yang, HU Peijin, MA Jun, SONG Yi. Association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13-18[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(9): 1232-1236. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025285

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Association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13-18

doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025285

1.
School of Public Health/Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China

Received Date: 2025-04-23
Rev Recd Date: 2025-06-10

Available Online: 2025-10-10

Publish Date: 2025-09-25

Abstract

Abstract

Objective To explore the association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13-18, providing a theoretical foundation and intervention strategies for mental health promotion. Methods Data were obtained from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health, including 98 631 Chinese adolescents aged 13-18. Psychological distress was assessed by using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and mental well-being was measured with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Based on the gender- and age-specific Z-scores of various test items [grip strength, standing long jump, pull-ups (for males), and sit-ups (for females)], muscle strength index (MSI) was constructed to evaluate the comprehensive level of muscle strength in adolescents. According to the Dual-factor Model (DFM) of mental health, participants were categorized into four groups: troubled, symptomatic but content, vulnerable, and complete mental health. Gender differences were analyzed by using Chi-square tests, trends were tested with Cochran-Armitage tests, and multinomial Logistic regression models were applied to assess associations between muscle strength and mental health among adolescents. Results In 2019, 37.4% of Chinese adolescents aged 13-18 were reported of high mental distress, and 59.9% were reported of low mental well-being. Boys had significantly lower rates of high mental distress (35.3%) and low mental well-being (55.6%) compared to girls (39.4%, 64.3%), and the differences were of statistical significance (χ²=176.13, 780.42, both P < 0.05). In 2019, the rate of complete mental health among adolescents showed a downward trend with increasing age (χ_trend²=258.47) and a gradual upward trend with increasing muscle strength levels (χ_trend²=123.14), and both boys and girls exhibited similar trends (χ_trend²=103.83, 168.46; 57.00, 67.34) (all P < 0.05). The results of the unordered multiclass Logistic regression model showed that after controlling for confounding factors such as age and gender, when the completely pathological group as a reference, for every 1 unit increase in MSI in adolescents, the likelihood of being in a completely mental health state increased by 29% (OR=1.29); for every unit increase in the Z-score for pull-ups, the likelihood of being in a completely mental health state increased by 6% (OR=1.06) among boys; for every 1 unit increase in sit-up Z-score, the likelihood of being in a completely mental health state increased by 19% (OR=1.19) among girls (all P < 0.05). Conclusions The mental health status of Chinese adolescents is not good enough. Muscle strength is positively associated with mental health.
- Mental health,
- Muscle strength,
- Regression analysis,
- Adolescent

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References(27)

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