Background
Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior influence the prevalence of anxiety disorders. However, there is a lack of research on how these factors affect Korean adults. Therefore, we conducted a large-scale cohort study to investigate the association of physical activity and sedentary behavior with the development of anxiety disorders.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 5,615 Korean adults aged 19 years and over. This study analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VIII (2021). Participants were divided into three groups based on sedentary time (minute per day), and anxiety levels were compared using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale.
Results
The odds ratio (OR) for severe generalized anxiety disorder was higher in the longer sedentary time group (≥480 & <660 minutes and ≥660 minutes) than in the lowest sedentary time group (<480 minutes) (≥480 & <660 minutes: OR, 1.004; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.463–2.178; ≥660 minutes: OR, 2.233; 95% CI, 1.385–3.599; P=0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, these correlations remained consistent and statistically significant. Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed that middle-aged adults, women, high school graduates, individuals living with housemates, and employed individuals had a stronger association with severe anxiety as sitting time increased.
Conclusion
Sitting for more than 11 hours a day is a significant risk factor for the development of severe anxiety. Incorporating regular walking into daily routines and reducing sedentary behaviors could alleviate anxiety in Korean adults.

Citations

• Association between sedentary behaviour, sleep duration, physical activity and mental health among teachers in China during COVID-19: a cross- sectional study
  Yexin Ma, Yuntao Xu, Liyou Wu, Jiabao Guo, Binglin Chen
  Frontiers in Public Health.2026;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Psychological resilience moderates the cross-sectional association between cardiorespiratory fitness and depressive symptoms in Korean office workers with predominantly sedentary occupations
  Youngyun Jin, Kwonseok Han, Donghyun Kim
  Mental Health and Physical Activity.2026; 31: 100806.     CrossRef

The gastrointestinal stromal tumor was finded in a female patient complaining continous abdominal obesity without any gastrointestinal symptoms. The tumor was sized 5.5~7~10 cm and expanded from stomach to the space between stomach and pancreas. The surgical resection was carried out for treatment. This case means that careful physical examinations should be done when there are no gastrointestinal complains in a abdominal obesity patient.