Physical activity and screen-based media use: cross-sectional associations with health-related quality of life and the role of body satisfaction in a representative sample of German adolescents

Abstract

Purpose: Although it is widely accepted that physical activity (PA) positively, and screen-based media use (SBM) negatively, affects well-being, there is a lack of studies relating PA and SBM to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents. We examined these associations in German adolescents for different HRQoL subdomains and explored the role of body satisfaction as a possible mediator. Methods: The 11–17-year-old subsample of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey (2003–2006) was analysed (N = 6813; 51.3% male). Cross-sectional associations of self-reported PA frequency and amount of daily SBM with HRQoL subscale scores (according to KINDL-R) were examined by hierarchical linear regression models, adjusting for the clustering of the sample and for a variety of possible confounders. The size and significance of indirect effects via body (dis)satisfaction (BDS) were examined by mediation analyses. Results: Higher PA frequency was significantly associated with higher HRQoL on nearly all subscales and dose–response-relationships were observable. Variations were greatest in terms of social well-being in boys (effect size d = 0.59) and physical well-being in girls (d = 0.43). Higher SBM was related to lower HRQoL on all subscales in girls and on some subscales in boys, with the largest effects for school functioning in both genders (d = 0.31 and 0.37, respectively). The mediated effects for PA and SBM were significant in both genders, but the sizes and the proportions of total effects mediated by body satisfaction were rather small. Conclusions: Higher PA frequency was associated with higher self-reported HRQoL, and higher SBM was associated with lower self-reported HRQoL in both genders, even after adjusting for relevant covariates. The results support the assumption of independent health impacts of both behaviours, although no causal relationship can be confirmed with these cross-sectional data. Mechanisms other than body satisfaction must largely account for the effects of PA and SBM on well-being.

Age and Gender Differences in Prevalence of Screen Based Behaviour, Physical Activity and Health Complaints among Slovak School-aged Children

“…While boys use computer more frequently than girls, in case of excessive watching TV, they do not differ, as the TV viewing is the most popular screen activity in leisure time among youth at all (21). Generally, more common activities among boys in comparison with girls are the internet or noninternet computer gaming and other similar computer use (19) which could impact higher amounts of overall screen time among boys (18). In case of amount of physical activity, our study suggests that boys are more involved in regular physical activity regarding the recommendation, the finding also supported in other studies (39,40).…”

“…The interest in sedentary behaviour, physical activity as well as health is still growing (17)(18)(19)(20), but there are only few studies reporting findings from Central European countries (21,22). However, in these countries, including Slovakia, are observed negative trends of lifestyle among adolescents in terms of increasing sedentary behaviour at the expense of physical activity and health complaints in comparison with other countries in Europe (23,24).…”

Use of time and adolescent health‐related quality of life/well‐being: a scoping review

“…Of the 13 studies, 11 examined screen time alone (22,23,34,39,41,46,47,(49)(50)(51)(52), one examined reading and music listening on top of screen time (38), and one examined overall sedentary behaviour (duration of sitting) (44). Of the 13 studies, 11 examined screen time alone (22,23,34,39,41,46,47,(49)(50)(51)(52), one examined reading and music listening on top of screen time (38), and one examined overall sedentary behaviour (duration of sitting) (44).…”

Supportive communication with parents moderates the negative effects of electronic media use on life satisfaction during adolescence

“…In other studies, screen time was negatively related to overall quality of life in Australian and German adolescents (Mathers et al 2009;Lacy et al 2012;Finne et al 2013). Stepanikova et al (2010) showed that the amount of time spent online (web, instant messaging, chat rooms, newsgroups) was negatively associated with LS and positively associated with loneliness.…”