Sedentary Teens Face Higher Mental Health Risks

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day engaged in sedentary behaviors—including playing video games, reading for leisure or spending a lot of time distracted by screens—have a higher risk of facing psychological distress in the future, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

On the other hand, moderate screen exposure (between 60 and 119 minutes per day) invested in educational activities, such as doing homework or attending classes, was considered a “protective” factor associated with less psychological distress.

Sedentary behavior among adolescents has become a growing problem worldwide, with significant implications for the physical and mental health of the population in this age group. Several studies have shown that a lack of physical activity, especially when combined with excessive use of electronic devices, contributes to an increase in problems such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.

The study, conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London in the United Kingdom, analyzed information from 3,675 adolescents who were part of the Millennium Cohort Study, a project that follows children born between 2000 and 2002 and maintains a large database.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-sedentary-teens-higher-mental-health.html