Work

Influence of Sedentary Behavior on School Engagement Among Youth Aged 10 to 18 in Southern Spain

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The increasing prevalence of sedentary behavior among adolescents raises concerns about its impact on academic engagement. This study examines the association between negative and positive sedentary behavior and behavioral, emotional, and cognitive school engagement in adolescents. A total of 270 students aged 10 to 18 from southern Spain participated. Sedentary behavior was assessed via self-report, and school engagement was measured using the School Engagement Measure (SEM). ANCOVA and binary logistic regression were applied, adjusting for age, BMI, and maternal education level. The findings indicate that low negative sedentary behavior is associated with higher cognitive engagement (p = 0.009), while high positive sedentary behavior correlates with greater behavioral (p = 0.018) and cognitive engagement (p = 0.008). Moreover, high negative sedentary behavior more than doubles the risk of low cognitive engagement, and low positive sedentary behavior significantly increases the likelihood of low behavioral and cognitive engagement. These results suggest that while some sedentary behaviors may hinder academic engagement, structured activities like reading and studying can positively contribute to school performance. Encouraging active learning strategies, structured study habits, and responsible screen use may help to maximize school engagement. Future research should explore longitudinal effects and intervention strategies to optimize adolescent learning and well-being.

Source: Societies

DOI: 10.3390/soc15040103

Authors: Pablo Ramírez-Espejo, Jose Luis Solas-Martínez, Rubén Roldán-Roldán, Alba Rusillo-Magdaleno

Institution: Universidad de Jaén

Language: English

Topic: Physical Activity and Health

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,689