Health complaints among adolescents: Associations with more screen-based behaviours and less physical activity.
In this study, we investigated the relationship between screen-based behaviours, physical activity, and health complaints (headaches, feeling low, irritability, and nervousness). Screen-based behaviour included TV viewing, computer use, and time spent playing video games. Data were collected from 4462 Portuguese adolescents (2394 girls) aged 11-16 years. Girls who reported engaging in more screen-based behaviour (hours/day) also reported having more headaches, feeling lower, being more irritable, and feeling more nervous. Boys who reported more screen time were more irritable. Physical activity (times/week) was negatively associated with reports of feeling nervous among girls, and with headaches, feeling low, irritability, and feeling nervous among boys. Considering that time spent using the computer is related with more health complaints, and physical activity was related with fewer health complaints among boys, it is important to develop strategies to reduce adolescents' computer screen time, and to promote physical activity.
Projeto Aventura Social, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; ISAMB - Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: amarques@fmh.ulisboa.pt.
Adilson
A
Marques
Projeto Aventura Social, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; ISAMB - Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Abertay University, Dundee, United Kingdom.
Luís
L
Calmeiro
Projeto Aventura Social, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; ISAMB - Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Escola Superior de Educação, Instituto Politécnico de Beja, Beja, Portugal.
Nuno
N
Loureiro
Projeto Aventura Social, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.
Diana
D
Frasquilho
Projeto Aventura Social, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; ISAMB - Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; William James Center for Research, Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Lisboa, Portugal.
Margarida Gaspar
MG
de Matos
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018910:Video Games / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Adolescents' health; Exercise; HBSC; Health promotion; Sedentary behaviours