Traditional and emerging lifestyle behaviours and mental distress: a cross-sectional analysis

Objective: Previous research on multiple lifestyle risk behaviors has largely focused on physical health outcomes compared to mental distress. We examined the association of traditional lifestyle risk behaviors (smoking, poor nutrition, higher risk alcohol consumption and reduced physical activity [SNAP]) and emerging lifestyle risk behaviors (increased sitting time and frequent insufficient sleep) with frequent mental distress (FMD). Methods: A randomly selected sample of Australian adults (N = 1,201) aged between 18 and 100 years (M = 52.23, SD = 17.18) completed a telephone survey regarding lifestyle risk behaviors and FMD as part of the National Social Survey. Data was collected between July-August 2015. Each lifestyle risk behavior was classified into either higher or lower risk. The total number of higher risk SNAP behaviors engaged in was summed to create a SNAP behavior score. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between FMD, SNAP behavior score, and to examine the additional influence of higher risk sitting and frequent insufficient sleep when adjusting for SNAP behavior score. Results: Higher SNAP behavior scores were associated with FMD (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.01 – 1.56]). Both higher sitting (OR = 1.72, 95% CI [1.10 – 2.69]) and frequent insufficient sleep (OR = 3.36, 95% CI [2.26 – 5.01]) were associated with FMD when adjusting for SNAP behavior scores, which were no longer significantly associated with FMD. Conclusion: While SNAP behaviors are associated with FMD, results indicate the importance of considering the role of sitting time and insufficient sleep as emerging risk factors for mental distress.