title: Screen time is associated with depressive symptomatology among obese adolescents: a HEARTY study.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  • 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.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) Research Group, Children's Hospital Of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada. ggoldfield@cheo.on.ca.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. ggoldfield@cheo.on.ca.|School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. ggoldfield@cheo.on.ca.|School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. ggoldfield@cheo.on.ca.|Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. ggoldfield@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Gary S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Goldfield
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maras
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Angela L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Glen P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) Research Group, Children's Hospital Of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.|Centre for Healthy Active living (CHAL), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Stasia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hadjiyannakis
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberga
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) Research Group, Children's Hospital Of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
authors.forename: Jameason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tulluch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cardiac Sciences and Community Health Sciences, Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sigal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D018910:Video Games / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Depression; Media use; Mental health; Overweight; Pediatric obesity; Screen time; Sedentary behavior