Environmental & Lifestyle Factors Inf luence Sedentary Behaviour
Environmental & Lifestyle Factors Infl uence Sedentary Behaviour Among Ad olescents Reveals a Global Study
Chennai, India – December 2, 2024: The World Health Organization (WHO) rec ommends no more than two to three h ours per day of sedentary time for yo uth. However, adolescents worldwide are spending an average of 8 to 10 ho urs per day engaging in sedentary ac tivities such as watching television, us ing electronic devices, playing video ga mes, and riding in motorized vehicles.
A groundbreaking study titled “Associ ations of Perceived Neighbourhood an d Home Environments with Sedentary Behaviour Among Adolescents in 14 C ountries” has been published in the pr estigious International Journal of Beh havioural Nutrition and Physical Activ ivity. The findings, derived from the In ternational Physical Activity and the E nvironment Network (IPEN) Adolescen t Study, shed light on how environmen tal and lifestyle factors influence sede ntary behaviour (SB) among adolescen ts aged 11–19 years across diverse cult ural contexts.
The multi-country, cross-sectional stud y analysed data from 6,302 adolescents and their parents and India was a maj or contributor to the study. Accelerom eter-based sedentary time (ST) was as sessed over seven days, alongside sur veys evaluating recreational screen t ime, transport-related sitting time, an d environmental factors such as home environments and neighbourhood fea tures.
Key Findings of the study:
● Environmental & Lifestyle Factors Influence Sedentary Behaviour
● Adolescents accumulated an average of 7.8 to 10.5 hours of sedentary time p er day across the 14 countries.
● Social media use emerged as the mo st significant correlate of total sedent tary time for both sexes.
● Recreational screen time averaged 3.8 hours per day, while transport-rel lated sitting time was approximately 40 minutes per day.
● Home environmental factors, such a s access to social media accounts, str ongly influenced screen time. Neighb ourhood features, including land use diversity, traffic safety, and pedestrian infrastructure, impacted transport-r elated sitting time.
● The city or country of residence and sex of the adolescent significantly infl luenced the associations between env ironmental features and sedentary be haviour. Pm
● Adolescents accumulated an average of 7.8 to 10.5 hours of sedentary time p er day across the 14 countries.
● Social media use emerged as the mos t significant correlate of total sedentar y time for both sexes.
● Recreational screen time averaged 3 .8 hours per day, while transport-rela ted sitting time was approximately 40 minutes per day.
● Home environmental factors, such a s access to social media accounts, stro ngly influenced screen time. Neighbou rhood features, including land use div ersity, traffic safety, and pedestrian in frastructure, impacted transport-rela ted sitting time.
● The city or country of residence and sex of the adolescent significantly infl uenced the associations between envir onmental features and sedentary beha viour.
Dr. R. M. Anjana, President of the Mad ras Diabetes Research Foundation and first author of the study, remarked: “T his study is an important step in under standing the global patterns of sedent ary behaviour among adolescents.
Identifying social media use as a signi ficant factor influencing sedentary tim e highlights the need for interventions aimed at promoting balanced screen u se and encouraging active lifestyles in young people. Parents, policymakers, and technology companies must work together to reduce access to screens, l imit social media engagement, and pro mote more physical activity to help ad olescents develop healthier habits and reduce their risk of chronic diseases li ke type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiov vascular diseases.”
Dr. Ranjani Harish, Senior Scientist & Head of the Department of Preventive and Digital Health Research at the Ma dras Diabetes Research Foundation, ad ded: “Both home and neighbourhood e nvironments play a critical role in sha ping sedentary behaviour. Urban plan ning, community safety, and supportiv e home environments collectively infl uence how adolescents balance their ti me between active and sedentary purs uits.
These findings call for holistic policies to reduce sedentary time and enhance the overall health of young people wor ldwide.”
Countries are already taking action to address this rising concern. Australia recently introduced policies banning social media use for children under 16, aiming to reduce its negative impact o n adolescent health and wellbeing.
This study underscores the importanc e of integrating behavioural, environm ental and policy-based approaches to a ddress the rising sedentary lifestyle a mong adolescents. With social media e merging as a major contributor, it is v ital to focus on creating healthy digital habits and improving community in fr astructure to effectively reduce seden tary time.
About MDRF:
The Madras Diabetes Research Founda ation (MDRF) is a renowned research i nstitute located in Chennai, India. It is dedicated to conducting scientific rese arch on diabetes and related complica cations. The foundation was establish ed in 1996 by Dr. V. Mohan, a leading d iabetologist in India. MDRF’s primary focus is on understanding the causes, prevention, and management of diabe tes, as well as its associated complicat ions. The research conducted at MDRF encompasses various aspects of diabet es, including epidemiology, genetics, cl inical management, and public health. MDRF plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge about diabetes, improving patient care, and combating the grow ing burden of diabetes in India and be yond.