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Screen time and physical activity behaviours are associated with health-related quality of life in Australian adolescents

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Abstract

Purpose

To explore the cross-sectional relationships between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical activity (PA) behaviours and screen-based media (SBM) use among a sample of Australian adolescents.

Methods

Data came from baseline measures collected for the It’s Your Move! community-based obesity prevention intervention. Questionnaire data on sociodemographics, PA, SBM and HRQoL were collected from 3,040 students (56% boys) aged 11–18 years in grade levels 7–11 in 12 secondary schools. Anthropometric data were measured.

Results

The highest level of PA at recess, lunchtime and after school was associated with higher HRQoL scores (boys, by 5.3, 8.1, 6.3 points; girls, by 4.2, 6.1, 8.2 points) compared with not being active during these periods. Exceeding 2 h of SBM use each day was associated with significantly lower HRQoL scores (boys, by 3.2 points; girls, by 4.0 points). Adolescents who were physically active and low SBM users on school days had higher HRQoL scores (boys, by 6.6 points; girls, by 7.8 points) compared with those who were not physically active every school day and high SBM users on school days.

Conclusions

Several of the relationships between low PA and high SBM use and HRQoL were comparable to those previously observed between chronic disease conditions and HRQoL, indicating that these behaviours deserve substantial attention.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services as part of the Victorian ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Eating and Physical Activity initiative, in conjunction with VicHealth and the National Health and Medical Research Council. We acknowledge the principals, teachers, students and School Project Officers (Sue Blackett, Lee Denny, Kerryn Fearnsides, Chris Green, Sonia Kinsey, Kirsty Licheni, Kate Meadows, Lauren Reading and Lyndal Taylor) from the 12 schools involved in the project. Acknowledged also are Colin Bell and others from the ‘Support and Evaluation Team’, Anthony Bernardi, Phil Day, Lawrence Meade, Lily Meloni and Narelle Robertson from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention, Deakin University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. WHO Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention, Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia

    Kathleen E. Lacy, Steven E. Allender, Andrea M. de Silva-Sanigorski, Lynne M. Millar, Mary Malakellis & Boyd A. Swinburn

  2. Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Steven E. Allender

  3. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia

    Peter J. Kremer

  4. Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, Level 5, 207 Bouverie Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Andrea M. de Silva-Sanigorski

  5. Deakin Health Economics Unit, Deakin University, Melbourne Campus at Burwood, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia

    Marjory L. Moodie

  6. School of Education, Deakin University, Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia

    Louise B. Mathews

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  1. Kathleen E. Lacy
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  2. Steven E. Allender
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Correspondence to Kathleen E. Lacy.

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Lacy, K.E., Allender, S.E., Kremer, P.J. et al. Screen time and physical activity behaviours are associated with health-related quality of life in Australian adolescents. Qual Life Res 21, 1085–1099 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-0014-5

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