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

Year 2024, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 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

References

• Biamonte, E., Pegoraro, F., Carrone, F., Facchi, I., Favacchio, G., Lania, A.G., Mirani, M. (2021). Weight change and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients during COVID-19 pandemic: the lockdown effect. Endocrine, 72(3),604-610. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-021-02739-5
• Biddle, S. J., Bengoechea García, E., Pedisic, Z., Bennie, J., Vergeer, I., Wiesner, G. (2017). Screen time, other sedentary behaviours, and obesity risk in adults: a review of reviews. Current obesity reports, 6, 134-147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0256-9
• Bohlouli, J., Moravejolahkami, A.R., Ganjali Dashti, M., Balouch Zehi, Z., Hojjati Kermani MA, Borzoo-Isfahani M, Bahreini-Esfahani N. (2021). COVID-19 and fast foods con-sumption: a review. International Journal of Food Properties, 24(1),203-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2021.1873364
• Cava, E., Neri, B., Carbonelli, M.G., Riso, S., Carbone, S. (2021). Obesity pandemic during COVID-19 outbreak: Narrative review and future considerations. Clinical Nutrition, 40(4),1637-1643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.02.038
• Caroppo, E., Mazza, M., Sannella, A., Marano, G., Avallone, C., Claro, A. E., Sani, G. (2021). Will nothing be the same again?: changes in lifestyle during COVID-19 pandemic and consequences on mental health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8433. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168433
• Chen, L., Li, J., Xia, T., Matthews, T. A., Tseng, T. S., Shi, L., Su, D. (2021). Changes of exercise, screen time, fast food consumption, alcohol, and cigarette smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in the United States. Nutrients, 13(10), 3359. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103359
• Craig, C. L., Marshall, A. L., Sjostrom, M., Bauman, A. E., Booth, M. L., Ainsworth, B. E., Pratt, M., Ekelund, U., Yngve, A., Sallis, J. F., Oja, P. (2003) International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 35, 1381-1395. https://doi.org/10.2466/06.08.PMS.111.4.278-284
• Guignard, R., Andler, R., Quatremère, G., Pasquereau, A., du Roscoät, E., Arwidson, P., Nguyen-Thanh, V. (2021). Changes in smoking and alcohol consumption during COVID-19-related lockdown: a cross-sectional study in France. European journal of public health, 31(5), 1076-1083. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab054
• Hales, C. M., Carroll, M. D., Fryar, C. D., & Ogden, C. L. (2020). Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 360. National Center for Health Statistics, 360, 1-7.
• Hammoudi, S.F., Mreydem, H.W., Abou Ali, B.T., Saleh, N.O., Chung, S., Hallit, S., Salameh, P. (2021). Smartphone screen time among university students in Lebanon and its associa-tion with insomnia, bedtime procrastination, and body mass index during, the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. Psychiatry Investigation, 18(9), 871. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2021.0120
• He, M., Xian, Y., Lv, X., He, J., Ren, Y. (2021). Changes in body weight, physical activity, and lifestyle during the semi-lockdown period after the outbreak of COVID-19 in China: an online survey. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 15(2), 23-28. http://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2020.237
• İletişim Başkanlığı, Koronavirüs bilim kurulu toplantısı gerçekleştirildi. 12/03/2020. Available: https://www.iletisim.gov.tr/turkce/yerel_basin/detay/koronavirus-bilim-kurulu-toplantisi-gerceklestirildi. Erişim tarihi: 31.03.2023.
• Kamaleddine, A., Antar, H., Abou, Ali, B., Hammoudi, S.F., Lee, J., Lee, T., Salameh, P. (2022). Effect of screen time on physical and mental health and eating habits during COVID-19 lockdown in Lebanon. Psychiatry Investigation, 19(3), 220. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2021.0239
• Network, S. (2012). Letter to the Editor: standardized use of the terms “sedentary” and “seden-tary behaviours”. Appl Physiol Nutr Me, 37, 540-542.
• Oflu, A., Bükülmez, A., Elmas, E., Tahta, E.G., Çeleğen, M. (2021). Comparison of screen time and digital gaming habits of Turkish children before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Turkish Archives of Pediatrics, 56(1), 22. http://doi.org/10.14744/TurkPediatriArs.2020.41017
• Oswald, T., Rumbold, A., Kedzior, S. ve Moore, V. (2020). Psychological impacts of “screen time” and “green time” for children and adolescents: a systematic scoping review. PLoS One 15, 0237725. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237725
• Ramos, A., Joaquin, C., Ros, M., Martin, M., Cachero, M., Sospedra, M., Puig-Domingo, M. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 on nutritional status during the first wave of the pandemic. Clinical Nutrition, 41(12), 3032-3037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.05.001
• Sağlam, M., Arıkan, H., Savci, S., Inal-Ince, D., Bosnak-Guclu, M., Karabulut, E., Tokgozoglu, L. (2010). International physical activity questionnaire: reliability and validity of the Turkish version. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 111(1), 278-284. https://doi.org/10.2466/06.08.PMS.111.4.278-284
• Schienkiewitz, A., Damerow, S., Richter, A., Mensink, G. B. (2022). How has body weight changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic?. Journal of Health Monitoring, 7(4), 54. https://doi.org/10.25646/10670
• Sidor, A., Rzymski, P. (2020) Dietary choices and habits during COVID-19 Lockdown: experience from Poland. Nutrients, 12,1657. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061657
• Tan, S., Tan, S. & Tan, C. (2022). Screen time-based sedentary behaviour, eating regulation and weight status of university students during the COVID-19 lockdown. Nutrition & Food Science, 52(2), 281-291. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-05-2021-0156
• Trott, M., Driscoll, R., Irlado, E., Pardhan, S. (2022). Changes and correlates of screen time in adults and children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinical Medicine, 48,101452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101452
• Unubol, M., Erdemir, Z., Colak, G., Guney, E., Omurlu, I.K. (2021). Obesity pandemic trigge-red by the period of COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience from Turkey. Polish Archives of Internal Medicine, 131(7-8), 766-768. https://doi.org/10.20452/pamw.16037
• WHO. A healthy lifestyle - WHO recommendations. 6/5/2010. Available: https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/a-healthy-lifestyle---who-recommendations. Erişim tarihi: 28.3.2023.