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Association of Screen Time With Subjective Health Complaints in Iranian School-Aged Children and Adolescents: The Caspian-V Study Publisher



Faridizad R1, 2 ; Ahadi Z3 ; Heshmat R3 ; Motlagh ME4 ; Sheidaei A5 ; Ziaodini H6 ; Taheri M7 ; Qorbani M8, 9 ; Baradaran Mahdavi S1, 2, 10 ; Kelishadi R2
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
  2. 2. Pediatrics Department, Child Growth, and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezarjerib Ave, Isfahan, Iran
  3. 3. Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Pediatrics Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
  5. 5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
  6. 6. Bureau of Health and Fitness, Ministry of Education and Training, Tehran, Iran
  7. 7. Office of Adolescents and School Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
  8. 8. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
  9. 9. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  10. 10. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Source: Journal of Public Health (Germany) Published:2020


Abstract

Background: Sedentary leisure time might be affecting children’s and adolescents’ general health. We investigated the association between watching television and computer use in this age group and psychosomatic health complaints. Methods: This study of 14,274 students aged 7–18 years was conducted in Iran between 2014 and 2015, as part of the fifth school-based nationwide health survey named the childhood and adolescence surveillance and prevention of adult non-communicable disease (CASPIAN-V) study. In addition to gathering data on time spent watching television or using a computer per day, we categorized the health complaints into somatic (headache, backache, stomach ache, and feeling dizzy) and psychological (feeling low, feeling nervous, irritability, and difficulty falling asleep) symptoms. Regression models were used to determine the relationships between variables. Results: All psychological health complaints, as well as headaches, were significantly more prevalent in the over-14 age group, both in girls and boys. Lower socioeconomic status, living in families where one or two parents were absent, and living in urban areas were all associated with higher psychosomatic health problems. Also, more time spent watching television was associated with more stomach aches and irritability (OR = 1.12 and 1.14 respectively). More time spent using a computer correlated with a higher prevalence of stomach aches, irritability, feeling nervous, and difficulty falling asleep (OR = 1.15, 1.12, 1.29, and 1.07 respectively). Conclusion: Prolonged time spent on television watching or computer use might be associated with adverse effects on children’s and adolescents’ psychosomatic health status. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
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