Physical Activity Moderates the Relationship Between Screen Time and Body Dissatisfaction in Early Adulthood

The transition to adulthood is a vulnerable period for the development of body image issues, which can increase the risk of behavioral disorders such as body dysmorphic and eating disorders. This study explored whether adherence to physical activity guidelines moderates the association between recreational screen time and body dissatisfaction in early adulthood. A sample of 1,475 young adults (mean age 18.81 years, 60.9% female) from 17 French-speaking public colleges in Quebec, Canada, completed self-report questionnaires in Fall 2021 and Winter 2022. Participants reported their daily recreational screen time, engagement in physical activity over the past 3 months, and sociodemographic characteristics. The analysis, based on multivariate linear regression, showed that higher screen time was associated with greater body dissatisfaction, but this relationship was weaker among participants who met the World Health Organization's physical activity guidelines. These findings suggest that adherence to physical activity guidelines may buffer the negative effects of recreational screen time on body dissatisfaction in young adults, highlighting the value of promoting physical activity in interventions aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction.