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Modifiable determinants of physical, mental and social well-being in Chinese adolescents: a national environment-wide
1Joint Research Center for Occupational Medicine and Health of IHM, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China; School of Public Health, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Hefei, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Prevention and Control, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Hefei, China.
Background:
While the World Health Organization defines health through physical, mental, and social well-being, public health strategies often address single domains. This study identifies modifiable factors influencing all three dimensions in adolescents.
Methods:
A national environment-wide association study (EnWAS) analyzed longitudinal data from 2370 Chinese children (aged 2-5 at baseline, final N = 1496) in the China Family Panel Studies (2010-2018). Seventy-one environmental factors across five domains (community characteristics, household characteristics, child health and behaviors, parenting behaviors and cognitive enrichment, and parental well-being) were assessed. A two-stage analysis combined false discovery rate-adjusted regression and LASSO variable selection.
Results:
Self-esteem was the sole factor prospectively linked to all three dimensions: a 1-SD increase predicted better physical (0.20 point, 95 % CI = 0.14-0.26), mental (0.62 point, 95 % CI = 0.47-0.77), and social well-being (0.55 point, 95 % CI = 0.40-0.71). Paternal interpersonal popularity correlated with improved physical and mental well-being, while limiting a child's TV time enhanced mental and social outcomes. Eleven additional factors showed domain-specific associations, including higher paternal age and quarrels with parents in the last week.
Conclusion:
The study underscores the value of data-driven approaches in identifying cross-domain determinants while addressing limitations of single-dimensional well-being research. By bridging gaps between theoretical frameworks and empirical validation, this work informs population-level strategies to concurrently enhance physical, mental, and social health during critical developmental windows.
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