Depression is a chronic and globally prevalent illness, significantly affecting physical health, cognitive processes, and mood [1]. Research indicates that lifetime prevalence of depression ranges between 11 % and 15 % [2]. Prolonged depression can lead to full depression, marked by recurrent episodes that impair life quality, social function, and may escalate to self-harm or suicide [3]. In youth, depression links to cardiovascular issues, cognitive decline, and impaired motor skills [4]. It diminishes social abilities, academic performance, and self-esteem, often leading to violence, substance abuse, or suicidal tendencies. Adolescents, show prevalence rates of 22 %–60 % for depression, increasing the risk of adult depression and suicide [3]. Depression is the fourth most common cause of death among adolescents, impacting their mental, emotional, and social development [5]. Globally, depression ranks as a primary cause of illness and disability in adolescents, imposing substantial psychological and economic strains on families and societies [6,7]. Depressive symptoms, including persistent low mood, can lead to cognitive and social deficits in adolescents, progressing to subclinical or full depression. These symptoms in adolescents warrants significant attention [8].

24-h movement behaviors include sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity (PA). Sleep is crucial for energy metabolism, cognition, memory, mood, and overall mental health [9,10]. Sedentary behavior, involves activities with low energy, such as which television, while PA involves higher energy expenditure (≥1.5 METs). Lifestyle changes have decreased PA and increased screen time (ST), potentially contributing to physical and mental issues. Most research on 24-h movement behavior in adolescents has focused on obesity and physical health outcomes, often overlooking mental health outcomes [11]. Adolescence presents a key period for intervention due to lower compliance with movement guidelines compared to childhood [12]. 'Negative affect' includes emotional experiences like depression, anxiety, and stress, prevalent during adolescence [13]. These emotions are linked to risky behaviors and contribute to psychiatric issues during adulthood [7,14]. an international study have indicated that adherence to the recommendations 24-h movement behavior is associated with a lower chance of developing depression and anxiety [15].

Reducing sedentary behavior and increasing PA is important for health, with PA shown to alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Compared to traditional treatments, exercise has relatively fewer negative effects, enhancing both physical and mental health in adolescents [11,16]. Nevertheless, the specific associations between PA and anxiety and depression and in children and teenagers remains ambiguous [17].

Adolescent mental health is strongly influenced by video screen behavior and sleep patterns. The shift towards a “digital” lifestyle has led to increased screen exposure among adolescents, accompanied by a notable rise in time spent on screens and a reduction in sleep duration [18]. The links between video screen behavior and symptoms of depression and anxiety [19] and insufficient sleep duration, have been established. Shorter sleep durations are associated with a higher chance of symptoms of anxiety and depression [20], suggesting a U-shaped relationship [21], though some studies report no significant associations [22]. Sleep, sedentary behavior, and PA, each with distinct physiological functions, form a continuum of activity levels and share a comprehensive interdependence in terms of duration [9]. Consequently, it is vital to concurrently focus on the components 24-h movement behaviors and investigate their combined effects on health results.

Adolescence is crucial for physical, cognitive, and psychological development [13], shaping long-term health [7,14]. While much research focuses on the impact of 24-h activity patterns on physical health, particularly in relation to obesity, studies exploring the associations between movement behaviors and mental health are still emerging. Despite the systematic reviews, generating strong evidence for 24-h movement interventions has been challenging due to study diversity and generally low evidence quality [12].

Hence, this study aimed to examine the existing patterns of adolescents’ moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA, sedentary behavior, sleep, and depressive symptoms.