Less Screen Time, More Frequent Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Physical Activity are Associated with Greater Mental Wellbeing in Adolescents

Abstract Wellbeing declines during adolescence, for which the reasons are unclear. This analysis explored associations between wellbeing and multiple lifestyle, socioeconomic school-level factors in young people. Data were collected as part of School (WiSe) survey adolescent school children Northern Ireland at age 13–14 years ( N = 1618; 49% female) 15–16 1558; 50.5% female). was assessed using short-form Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Scale (sWEMWBS), where scores declined time one (13–14 years) two (15–16 both sexes significantly lower females timepoints. Multilevel, multivariate modelling therefore undertaken separately males with sWEMWBS dependent variable. Physical activity, family affluence, fruit vegetable intake, social media use, sleep duration, (size type) religion independent variables. More frequent physical activity timepoints associated higher scores. In females, less use (and marginally two), greater affluence two, being Catholic males, more intake one. unrelated to duration or either sex, points. Efforts maximize mental adolescents should promote engagement implement sex-specific interventions.