Screen time is associated with depressive symptomatology among obese adolescents: a HEARTY study
Abstract
Unlabelled Obese adolescents spend a disproportionate time in screen-based activities and are at higher risk for clinical depression compared to their normal-weight peers. While screen time is associated with obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors, little is known about the relationship between screen time and mental health. This cross-sectional study examines the association between duration and types of screen time and depressive symptomatology (subclinical symptoms) in a sample of 358 (261 female; 97 male) overweight and obese adolescents aged 14-18 years. Self-report measures assessed depressive symptoms and time spent in different types of screen behavior (TV, recreational computer use, and video games). After controlling for age, ethnicity, sex, parental education, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, caloric intake, carbohydrate intake, and intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, total screen time was significantly associated with more severe depressive symptomatology (β = 0.21, p = 0.001). After adjustment, time spent playing video games (β = 0.13, p = 0.05) and recreational computer time (β = 0.18, p = 0.006) was associated with depressive symptoms, but TV viewing was not. Conclusions Screen time may represent a risk factor or marker of depressive symptomatology in obese adolescents. Future intervention research should evaluate whether reducing screen exposure reduces depressive symptoms in obese youth, a population at increased risk for psychological disorders. What is known • Screen time is associated with an increased risk of obesity in youth. • Screen time is associated with an adverse cardio-metabolic profile in youth. What is New: • Screen time is associated with more severe depressive symptoms in overweight and obese adolescents. • Time spent in recreational computer use and playing video games, but not TV viewing, was associated with more severe depressive symptoms in overweight and obese adolescents.
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One study did not find associations between watching TV and depressive symptoms.
“one study [61] did not find associations between watching TV and depressive symptoms”
From The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
Computer use (such as for internet, email, and games) was associated with impairment of mental well-being, psychological well-being, and an increase in depressive symptoms.
“A relationship was observed between computer use (such as for internet, email, and games) with impairment of mental well-being [59], psychological well-being [35] and an increase in depressive symptoms [61, 65].”
From The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
In this review, watching TV did not show a significant relationship with depressive symptoms, self-esteem or mental health in some cross-sectional studies; it even decreased levels of inattention and anxiety longitudinally.
“In fact, in this review, watching TV did not show a significant relationship with depressive symptoms [26, 61], self-esteem [67] or mental health [29], in some cross-sectional studies, it even decreased levels of inattention and anxiety longitudinally [27].”
From The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
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- Authors
- Goldfield, G. S., Murray, M., Maras, D., Wilson, A. L., Phillips, P., Kenny, G. P., Hadjiyannakis, S., Alberga, A., Cameron, J. D., Tulluch, H., & Sigal, R. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Carleton University (CA)
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (CA)
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CA)
- Ottawa Heart Institute (CA)
- University of Calgary (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Goldfield, Gary S.
- ORCID
- Venue
- European Journal of Pediatrics
- Published
- 2016-04-13
- Volume
- 175
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 909-919
- ISSN
- 0340-6199 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-1076
- OpenAlex
- W2335823234
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4
- FWCI
- 3.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MCT-71979)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Keywords
- screen time, depressive symptoms, adolescent obesity, adolescent overweight, video game use, television viewing, mental health, cardiometabolic risk
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Energy Intake, Computers, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Television, Time Factors, Body Mass Index, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Video Games, Sedentary Behavior, Pediatric Obesity
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