Examining the Effects of Screen Exposure on the Body Weight of Adult Individuals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year 2024, , 325 - 338, 02.08.2024

Gökcen Doğan , Nurcan Yabancı Ayhan

https://doi.org/10.21020/husbfd.1333302

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between the change in the screen exposure time of adults and the change of body weight during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Materials and Methods: In this online study, a total of 693 (258 men, 435 women) participants were reached through social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.). The questionnaire consisted of four parts; these; demographic characteristics, questions about nutrition and lifestyle, screen exposure times and the short form of the international physical activity questionnaire.
Results: 63.6% of men (n=164) and 50.3% of women (n=219) declared that they gained weight during the pandemic. According to BMI, being overweight increased from 23.2% to 23.7% and being obese increased from 7.2% to 7.4% (p<0.001). During the pandemic, 77.5% (n=297) of those who experienced an increase in body weight reported that phone use increased. In the study, significant relationship was found between the change in video game playing time (p=0.001) and computer usage time (p=0.043) and the change in body weight. Daily screen exposure time increased from 4.2±2.3 hours to 5.7±2.9 hours (p<0.001) in obese individuals, and from 4.0±2.2 hours to 6.9±3.3 hours (p<0.001) in underweight individuals.
Conclusion: While the prevalence of obesity is increasing day by day, the developments during the pandemic have accelerated this even more. Increased screen exposure has caused changes in individuals' body weight. It is thought that increasing the activities that people can participate in from their homes, including television screens, may help in the fight against obesity.

Keywords

Covid-19, screen exposure, screen time, obesity, body weight change

COVID-19 Pandemisinde Ekran Maruziyetinin Yetişkin Bireylerin Vücut Ağırlığı Üzerindeki Etkilerinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada Türkiye’de yaşayan yetişkin bireylerin Coronavirüs hastalığı (Coronavirus Disease 2019/ COVID-19) pandemisi süresince ekran maruziyet sürelerindeki değişim ile vücut ağırlığı değişiminin ilişkisini incelemek amaçlanmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çevrimiçi çalışmada sosyal medya platformları aracılığı (Facebook, Instagram vb…) ile toplam 693 (258 erkek, 435 kadın) katılımcıya ulaşılmıştır. Dört bölümden oluşan çevrimiçi anketin ilk bölümünde, demografik özellikler; ikinci bölümünde beslenme ve yaşam tarzına dair sorular; üçüncü bölümünde ekran maruziyet süreleri ve son bölümde uluslararası fiziksel aktivite anketi kısa formu yer almıştır.
Bulgular: Erkeklerin %63.6’sı (n=164) ve kadınların %50.3’ü (n=219) pandemi süresince ağırlık kazandığını beyan etmiştir. Pandemi sırasında beden kütle indeksine göre hafif şişman olma durumu %23.2’den %23.7’ye ve obez olma durumu %7.2’den %7.4’e çıkmıştır (p<0.001). Pandemi süresince vücut ağırlığında artış yaşayanların %77.5’si (n=297) telefon kullanımının arttığını bildirmiştir. Çalışmada video oyun oynama süresindeki (p=0.001) ve bilgisayar kullanım süresindeki (p=0.043) değişim ile vücut ağırlığındaki değişim arasında anlamlı ilişkiler saptanmıştır. Obeziteli bireylerde günlük ekran maruziyet süresi 4.2±2.3 saatten 5.7±2.9 saate (p<0.001), zayıf bireylerde ise 4.0±2.2 saatten, 6.9±3.3 saate yükselmiştir (p<0.001).
Sonuç: Günümüzde obezite sıklığı giderek artarken, pandemi sürecinde yaşanan gelişmeler bunu daha da hızlandırmıştır. Ekran maruziyetindeki artış bireylerin vücut ağırlığında değişimlere sebep olmuştur. Obezite ile mücadelede televizyon ekranlarının da kullanıldığı, insanların evlerinden katılım sağlayabildiği aktiviteleri arttırmanın yardımcı olabileceği düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Covid-19, ekran maruziyeti, ekran süresi, obezite, vücut ağırlığı değişimi

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