Longitudinal Associations between Healthy Eating Habits, Resilience, Insomnia, and Internet Addiction in Chinese College Students: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the longitudinal associations between healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction by using a cross-lagged panel analysis of Chinese college students. Overall, 807 Chinese college students completed questionnaires on healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction from August 2020 (time 1, T1) to November 2020 (time 2, T2), and were selected for the data analyses. Healthy eating habits (T1) had significant effects on resilience (T2; β = 0.064, p < 0.05) and insomnia (T2; β = −0.064, p < 0.05), but not Internet addiction (T2; β = −0.028, p > 0.05). Insomnia (T1) negatively predicted resilience (T2; β = −0.098, p < 0.01). Insomnia was bidirectionally associated with Internet addiction (Internet addiction at T1 to insomnia at T2: β = 0.085, p < 0.01; insomnia at T1 to Internet addiction at T2: β = 0.070, p < 0.05). Additionally, Internet addiction (T1) significantly predicted resilience (T2; β = −0.075, p < 0.05). This study further expanded the understanding of the longitudinal associations between healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction, which provided higher-level evidence and important implications for the interventions for reducing college students’ Internet addiction, developing healthy eating habits, and improving resilience and sleep health.