A Systematic Review of Screen Time and Obesity in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: Sex-Specific Pathways and Implications for Public Health Interventions.
Jinsoo Min, Yoomi Chae, Yoolwon Jeong
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review synthesized evidence on screen time and obesity-related outcomes in children, adolescents, and young adults, examining possible sex-specific patterns. Of 22 included studies, 18 reported a significant positive association between screen time and obesity-related outcomes. Some studies found associations only among females (n = 6) or males (n = 4). Reported patterns differed: female associations more often involved adiposity, metabolically unhealthy obesity, and psychological factors, while male associations more often involved eating behavior, late-night screen use, and reduced sleep. The review notes that formal assessment of sex–screen time interactions remains limited.
Key findings
- Of 22 studies, 18 reported a significant positive association between screen time and obesity-related outcomes.
- Associations were reported only among females in 6 studies and only among males in 4 studies.
- Female-associated patterns more often involved adiposity, metabolically unhealthy obesity, and body image or weight dissatisfaction.
- Male-associated patterns more often involved increased caloric intake, late-night screen use, and reduced sleep.
Why it matters
The review suggests that screen time may relate to obesity through more than one pathway, and that reported pathways may differ by sex. This broadens the public health question beyond screen duration alone to include eating, sleep, activity, and psychosocial factors. However, the evidence does not establish that these patterns are causal or consistently sex-specific.
What to keep in mind
Few studies formally assessed sex–screen time interactions, and the review synthesized associations by direction and patterns rather than reporting a pooled effect estimate.