Exploring the Relationship Between Sedentary Behavior and Subjective Well-Being
Abstract
Sedentary behavior (SB) describes any waking behavior that is low energy and performed in a sitting, lying, or reclining posture. The average Canadian spends over 9.5 hours sedentary per day, with populations like university students reporting over 11 hours per day. Detrimental associations between excessive, long-term SB and chronic disease risk are well-established. However, relationships between SB and subjective well-being (SWB) are less clear. SWB is typically conceptualized as either (i) hedonic well-being, whereby ideal SWB is achieved through optimizing affect (i.e., mood) and life satisfaction; or (ii) eudaimonic well-being, whereby ideal SWB is achieved through self-actualization and purpose. Current literature surrounding the relationship between SB and SWB is conflicting. Hence, the objective of this dissertation was to explore the relationships between SB and SWB. To this end, three studies were conducted. Study 1 mapped the current literature that examined indices of SB (i.e., objectively-measured and self-reported SB and physical inactivity, and screen time) and outcomes of hedonic well-being (i.e., affect, life satisfaction) through a scoping review. Findings revealed a weak detrimental association between indices of SB and outcomes of SWB – however, little research actually examining SB exists. Study 2 built upon the dearth of research examining SB and SWB through a cross-sectional survey. Specifically, relationships between total, self-compared, and domain-specific SB and breaks from SB and outcomes of SWB were examined among a national sample of university students. Findings reflect the weak detrimental association in previous literature; however, self-compared SB, breaks from SB, and some domains of SB exhibited larger associations with outcomes of SWB than total SB. Study 3 aimed to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of an acute SB-reducing intervention on outcomes of SWB among a sample of sedentary university students. Although the intervention provided only weak evidence for effectiveness, change correlations and its interplay with intervention effectiveness revealed objectively-measured, total, and self-compared SB as well as breaks from SB, to be salient targets for intervention. Findings from this work inform the effectiveness of future SB-reducing interventions, which help to elucidate the directionality and causality of relationships between SB and SWB.