Leisure time computer use and overweight development in young adults--a prospective study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Lifestyle Medicine

Background:

• Overweight prevalence has surged in Swedish young adults since the 1980s.
• Increased computer use parallels rising weight trends across various life domains.
• Leisure computer activities require further investigation regarding their role in weight gain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between leisure time computer gaming and emailing/chatting and overweight development.
• To identify specific computer use patterns associated with weight gain in young adults.
• To examine gender differences in the association between computer use and overweight.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of Swedish young adults (20-24 years at baseline).
• Questionnaire data collected at baseline, 1-year, and 5-year follow-ups (n=6735 at baseline, n=2593 at 5 years).
• Logistic and linear regression analyses used to assess associations between computer use (gaming, emailing/chatting) and overweight (BMI ≥ 25) and BMI changes.

Main Results:

• Leisure time computer gaming showed cross-sectional and prospective associations with overweight in women.
• Men only exhibited cross-sectional associations between computer gaming and overweight.
• Excessive daily emailing/chatting (>2 hours) was cross-sectionally linked to overweight in women; no clear prospective associations were found for either gender.

Conclusions:

• Young adult female computer gamers represent a newly identified risk group for overweight development.
• Leisure time computer gaming is a prospective risk factor for overweight in women, independent of other lifestyle factors.
• Computer use for emailing/chatting did not show clear prospective associations with overweight development in either sex.