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Prospective relationships of adolescents' screen-based sedentary behaviour with depressive symptoms: The Millennium Cohort Study

journal contribution
posted on 2021-02-19, 00:00 authored by A Kandola, N Owen, David DunstanDavid Dunstan, M Hallgren
Abstract
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t Background
t Frequent use of screen-based devices could be a modifiable risk factor for adolescent depression, but findings have been inconsistent and mostly from cross-sectional studies. We examined prospective associations of video gaming, social media, and internet use with depressive symptoms in adolescents.
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t Methods
t A total of 11 341 adolescents from the Millennium Cohort Study, a representative, UK population-based. The main outcome was depressive symptoms from a Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (age 14). Exposures were frequency of video game, social media, and internet use (age 11). Physical activity (effect modifier) was measured by self-report.
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t Results
t The fully adjusted models indicated that boys playing video games most days, at least once a week, and at least once a month at age 11 had lower depression scores at age 14 by 24.2% (IRR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.66–0.91), 25.1% (IRR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.62–0.90), and 31.2% (IRR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.57–0.83), compared with playing less than once a month/never. In girls, compared with less than once a month/never, using social media most days at age 11 was associated with 13% higher depression scores at age 14 (IRR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.05–1.22). We found some evidence of associations between using the internet most days and depressive symptoms compared with less than once a month/never in boys (IRR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.75–1.00). More frequent video game use was consistently associated with fewer depressive symptoms in boys with low physical activity, but not in those with high physical activity.
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t Conclusions
t Different types of screen-time may have contrasting associations with depressive symptoms during adolescence. Initiatives to address adolescents’ screen-time may require targeted approaches.
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History

Journal

Psychological Medicine

Pagination

1 - 9

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Location

Cambridge, Eng.

ISSN

0033-2917

eISSN

1469-8978

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

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