Citation

Brindova D, Veselska ZD, Klein D, Hamrik Z, Sigmundová D, van Dijk JP, Reijneveld SA, Geckova AM. Int. J. Public Health 2014; 60(2): 139-145.

Affiliation

Health Psychology Unit, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University in Kosice, Trieda SNP 1, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic, daniela.brindova@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00038-014-0627-x

PMID

25491571

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the association between screen-based (SB) behaviour and selected health complaints in adolescents and whether physical activity (PA) moderates this association.

METHODS: Data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour of School-aged Children study collected in 2010 among Slovak adolescents (age 11-15 years, N = 8,042, 48.6 % boys) were used. Logistic regression models adjusted for age and gender were used to analyse the associations between watching TV, working with a computer or playing computer games and headache, backache, sleep difficulties, feeling low, irritability and feeling nervous. Next, we assessed the interactions of SB behaviours and PA regarding health complaints.

RESULTS: Watching TV more than 3 h is associated with increased chance of reporting headache, feeling low, being irritable or feeling nervous, while working with computer or playing computer games for more than 3 h does so in all of the explored health complaints. Being physically active does not moderate the associations of SB activities with health complaints.

CONCLUSIONS: SB behaviours are associated with health complaints among adolescents, and these associations are not moderated by PA.

Language: en