Abstract
We examined whether screen time was associated with cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk factors in young adults. Ninety-five adults (19.9 ± 11.4 years) self-reported medical and health behavior history, screen time (television viewing, video games and computer games), and dietary intake. Waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipid levels, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), and body composition were measured. Total sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured by accelerometer. On average, leisure screen time (2.0 ± 1.6 h day−1) accounted for 24% of total sedentary time (8.4 ± 1.5 h day−1). After adjustment for demographics, smoking, sleep duration, total energy intake, total sedentary time and MVPA, a 1-standard deviation increase in leisure screen time was associated with a 26% higher BMI, 29% higher waist circumference, 25% higher fat mass, 23% higher triglyceride, and 24% lower VO2peak (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that screen time may contribute to the risk of obesity and CMD in young adults.
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This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Mountain West Clinical Translational Research Infrastructure Network Grant 1U54GM104944-01A1. The authors would like to thank the participants who took part in this study as well as Devin Drummer, Kate Connor and the other dedicated researchers in the Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory for their assistance in data collection and processing.
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CV conceived and designed the study. All authors conducted experiments and analyzed data. CV wrote the manuscript and all authors critically edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
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Vella, C.A., Taylor, K. & Nelson, M.C. Associations of leisure screen time with cardiometabolic biomarkers in college-aged adults. J Behav Med 43, 1014–1025 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00161-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00161-2