A study from Finland suggests that regulating screen time and encouraging physical activity from childhood could play a critical role in preventing stress and depressive symptoms in adolescents.
A recent Finnish study, conducted by the University of Jyväskylä’s Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Eastern Finland, indicates that limiting screen time from childhood may be crucial for mental health in adolescence. Given that up to 30% of young people deal with mental health issues, these findings hold significant value for families and policymakers alike.
The longitudinal study tracked 187 adolescents over eight years, revealing that those who spent a higher number of hours on screens — especially via mobile devices — exhibited increased stress and depressive symptoms during their teenage years.
In contrast, adolescents who engaged in higher levels of physical activity and took part in organized sports reported lower levels of stress and fewer depressive symptoms, although the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms was not as strong as the link between screen time and mental health issues.
“Several international, evidence-based recommendations suggest that the leisure screen time of children and adolescents should be limited to two hours per day,” Eero Haapala, a senior lecturer at the University of Jyväskylä, said in a news release. “Personally, I think that even this figure is high, as it amounts to almost one month of screen time per year.”
These insights emphasize the importance of promoting balanced lifestyle habits from an early age. Encouraging a mix of physical activities and setting reasonable constraints on screen time could be vital in preventing mental health issues later in life.
“The modern sedentary lifestyle, with high screen exposure, challenges the mental health of children and adolescents,” Haapala added.
He hoped that the study’s results would spur adults to advocate for a range of healthy habits beyond just limiting screen time.
“Recent discussions have rightly focused on screen time and social media, but I hope our findings encourage adults in young people’s lives to promote a broad spectrum of healthy habits — especially by balancing screen time and physical activity,” he added.
Achieving a shift in these habits, however, requires a collective effort.
“Society as a whole — from families to policymakers — must invest in promoting healthy lifestyles for children and adolescents by ensuring balanced screen time, sufficient physical activity, adequate sleep and a nutritious diet,” concluded Haapala.
This research, published in JAMA Network Open, is part of the larger PANIC (Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children) Study under the Metabolic Diseases Research Community at the University of Eastern Finland. This dedicated research collective is focused on investigating significant cardiometabolic diseases. Utilizing a mix of genetic, genomic and translational research approaches along with lifestyle interventions, the community aims to provide concrete evidence on disease mechanisms and foster early diagnosis, prevention and personalized treatment strategies.
Source: University of Jyväskylä