The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on global mental health, with adolescents emerging as one of the most vulnerable groups affected by the unprecedented disruption of daily life. Amid school closures, social distancing mandates, and shifting family dynamics, the mental well-being of young people has come under increasing scrutiny. A groundbreaking study from Korea delves deep into this uncharted territory, illuminating how lifestyle choices amidst the pandemic have influenced depressive symptoms among Korean adolescents – providing crucial insights into mental health resilience during a global crisis.
This extensive investigation analyzed data from over 54,000 adolescents, drawn from the nationally representative Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS). Such a robust sample size lends significant weight to the findings and marks one of the largest population-level surveys on adolescent mental health during COVID-19 to date. By focusing on tangible lifestyle modifications, including physical activity, dietary habits, and substance use, the research captures a multi-dimensional picture of behavioral impact on depression amid an extraordinary social context.
At the heart of the study lies an assessment of four key lifestyle factors that adolescents altered during the pandemic: an increase in physical activity, greater frequency of breakfast consumption, reduced alcohol use, and decreased smoking. Utilizing multinomial logistic regression analyses, researchers deciphered how these changes correlated with the self-reported decrease in depressive mood. Remarkably, every one of these healthier behavior shifts was strongly linked to positive mental health outcomes, underscoring the vital role of lifestyle even in crisis conditions.
Physical activity emerged as a powerful buffer against depression, with those who increased their exercise levels exhibiting more than twice the odds of alleviating depressive symptoms. This finding echoes a growing body of neuropsychiatric evidence pointing to exercise-induced neurogenesis and endorphin release as potent mood enhancers. In the constrained environment of the pandemic, where opportunities for structured social interactions were curtailed, physical activity provided a critical outlet for stress relief and emotional stabilization among adolescents.
Similarly, regular breakfast consumption showed a meaningful connection to improved mood states. Given the integral role of nutrition in brain function and hormonal regulation, it’s plausible that consistent morning meals contributed to better energy balance and cognitive resilience. The pandemic environment, rife with stress and disrupted routines, likely made maintaining such healthy dietary patterns especially challenging yet notably impactful on mental well-being.
The reduction in alcohol consumption was even more striking in its association with reduced depressive symptoms, revealing an over threefold increase in the odds of mood improvement. This highlights the hazardous relationship between substance use and adolescent mental health, an interaction that the pandemic may have exacerbated through increased anxiety and isolation. The findings imply that curtailed drinking – potentially driven by diminished social settings or enhanced familial supervision – acted as a protective factor during this sensitive period.
The most robust link was observed with decreased smoking, which showed an astounding sevenfold increased likelihood of depressive symptom reduction. This dramatic association underscores nicotine’s complex influence on adolescent neurochemistry and affect regulation. Smoking cessation or reduction changes may have contributed heavily to emotional relief, potentially modulating pathways involving dopamine and stress hormones that underpin depressive experiences.
Accounting for a plethora of confounding variables, the researchers confirmed that these associations remained both statistically significant and resilient across diverse demographic and psychosocial backgrounds. Such robustness strengthens the causal argument that lifestyle behavior modifications are not mere correlated phenomena but actively shape adolescent mental health trajectories during crises like COVID-19.
Beyond the statistical sphere, the study calls attention to broader societal implications. It advocates for public health policies that foster environments conducive to healthy habits, particularly during periods of turmoil. Suggested measures include reducing household-level stressors and amplifying social support networks, both pivotal in enabling adolescents to adopt and sustain beneficial behaviors. Moreover, the research emphasizes the urgent need for accessible mental health resources such as teletherapy and digital interventions tailored for youth.
The findings of this Korean dataset resonate globally, emphasizing universal truths about the interplay between behavior and mood. In pandemic contexts where physical and social restrictions exacerbate vulnerabilities, engaging in protective lifestyle adaptations emerges as a beacon of hope. By promoting physical exercise, nutritional regularity, and substance use avoidance, health authorities can empower the younger generation to navigate the psychological complexities of prolonged societal disruption more effectively.
This study also pioneers an integrative approach by combining epidemiological techniques with mental health assessment tools during an ongoing crisis, setting methodological standards for future inquiries worldwide. The scale and rigor of the research provide a blueprint for leveraging big data in mental health surveillance and intervention design, especially in adolescent populations where early prevention is critical.
In conclusion, the Korean research offers compelling evidence reinforcing that positive lifestyle changes have a measurable, beneficial impact on reducing depressive symptoms among adolescents in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. It spotlights the dynamic potential of individual and collective action in safeguarding mental health against a backdrop of global uncertainty, inviting stakeholders at every level to invest in strategies that bolster healthy behaviors for lasting psychological resilience.
As society emerges from the acute phases of the pandemic, the lessons unearthed by this study remain profoundly relevant. Supporting adolescents in embedding these lifestyle habits into their daily routines could have long-term benefits beyond the current crisis, potentially curbing the trajectory of mental health disorders that often manifest during youth. This research therefore not only contributes critical knowledge pertaining to COVID-19 but also enriches the broader fight against adolescent depression on a global scale.
Subject of Research: The association between lifestyle behavior modifications and depressive symptoms in Korean adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article Title: Exploring the relationship between lifestyle factors and depressive symptoms in Korean adolescents amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article References:
Lee, Y., Jang, E., Park, S. et al. Exploring the relationship between lifestyle factors and depressive symptoms in Korean adolescents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Psychiatry 25, 844 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06988-w
Image Credits: AI Generated
