Sedentary Behavior and Sleep Quality in Guangdong Students Surveys
Keywords:
Sedentary Behavior, Sleep Quality, Latent Class Analysis, University Students, Public HealthAbstract
The modern academic environment necessitates a rigorous examination of lifestyle factors that influence the well-being of young adults. This comprehensive study investigates the intricate relationship between sedentary behavior clustering and sleep quality among university students in Guangdong Province, a region characterized by rapid economic development and intense academic pressure. Utilizing a cross-sectional multi-center design, data were collected from a large, representative sample of university students across various disciplines. We applied Latent Class Analysis to categorize distinct typologies of sedentary behaviors, moving beyond traditional cumulative volume metrics to understand the contextual and behavioral nuances of prolonged sitting. The analysis identified several distinct clusters, including academically focused sedentary groups and leisure-screen dominated sedentary groups. Our findings reveal that not all sedentary behaviors impact sleep quality uniformly. Specifically, students exhibiting high volumes of screen-based leisure sedentary behavior before bedtime demonstrated significantly poorer sleep quality, as measured by standardized sleep indices, compared to those whose sedentary time was primarily academic and occurred during daylight hours. The results underscore the necessity for nuanced, context-specific public health interventions within higher education institutions. By understanding the specific clusters of sedentary behaviors that most detrimentally affect sleep architecture, university administrators and health policymakers can design targeted strategies aimed at mitigating adverse health outcomes and promoting better sleep hygiene among the student population.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nanase Miyazaki, Romain Mercier, Kanna Kawamura
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