ArticlePloS one2018
Less screen time and more frequent vigorous physical activity is associated with lower risk of reporting negative mental health symptoms among Icelandic adolescents.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04447690 (Prevalence of Mental Health Problems Among Undergraduate Students at the Universidad de Los Andes), which is not on this map. Cited by 55 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Prevalence of Mental Health Problems Among Undergraduate Students at the Universidad de Los Andes
Who cites it
55 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 166 citations in OpenAlex.
- The association between accelerometer-measured physical activity and symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pediatrics · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of physical activity interventions on undergraduate students' mental health: systematic review and meta-analysis.Health promotion international · 2024Pooled it
- Can sports participation be a protective factor against suicide-related outcomes in adolescents: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Pooled it
- Instrumented measures of sedentary behavior and physical activity are associated with depression among children and adolescents: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Pooled it
- The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review.BMC psychology · 2023Pooled it
- Combinations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep Duration and Their Associations With Physical, Psychological, and Educational Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.American journal of epidemiology · 2023Pooled it
- The relationship between screen-based sedentary behaviors and symptoms of depression and anxiety in youth: a systematic review of moderating variables.BMC public health · 2020Pooled it
- Physical Activity Levels and Screen Time among Youth with Overweight/Obesity Using Mental Health Services.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Low Vitamin D Levels Are Associated With Longer Healing Times in Pediatric Fracture Patients.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2026Article
- Leisure Screen Time, Internet Gaming Disorder, and Mental Health Among Chinese Adolescents: Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Associations of time spent on different types of digital media with self-rated general and mental health in Swedish adolescents.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Correlation Study Between Dietary Behaviors, Lifestyle, and Psychological Problems in Chinese Children Aged 3-7.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Psychosocial well-being in middle schoolers: effects of a school cycling program in the wake of COVID-19.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Association between screen time, homework and reading duration, sleep duration, social jetlag and mental health among Chinese children and adolescents.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- Mediating role of physical fitness on the association between diet and health-related quality of life in adolescents.Journal of exercise science and fitness · 2024Article
- Article
- Adolescent mental health and cardiorespiratory fitness: A comparison of two cohorts 12 years apart.PloS one · 2024Article
- Socioeconomic position as a predictor of youth's movement trajectory profiles between ages 10 and 14 years.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2023Article
- The mediating role of anxiety and depression between problematic social media use and bulimia nervosa among Lebanese university students.Journal of eating disorders · 2023Article
- Academic Helplessness and Life Satisfaction in Korean Adolescents: The Moderated Mediation Effects of Leisure Time Physical Activity.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveFew studies have explored the potential interrelated associations of screen time and physical activity with mental health in youth, particularly using objective methods. We examined cross-sectional associations of these variables among Icelandic adolescents, using objective and subjective measurements of physical activity.
methodsData were collected in the spring of 2015 from 315 tenth grade students (mean age 15.8 years) in six elementary schools in metropolitan Reykjavík, Iceland. Participants reported, via questionnaire, on demographics, weekly frequency of vigorous physical activity, daily hours of screen time and mental health status (symptoms of depression, anxiety and somatic complaints, self-esteem and life satisfaction). Total physical activity was measured over one week with wrist-worn accelerometers. Body composition was determined by DXA-scanning. Poisson regression analysis was used to explore independent and interactive associations of screen time and physical activity with mental health variables, adjusting for gender, body fat percentage and maternal education.
resultsLess screen time (below the group median of 5.3 h/day) and more frequent vigorous physical activity (≥4x/week) were each associated with reporting fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and life dissatisfaction. No significant associations were observed between objectively measured physical activity and mental health outcomes. Interactive regression analysis showed that the group reporting both less screen time and more frequent vigorous physical activity had the lowest risk of reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and life dissatisfaction.
conclusionsReports of less screen time and more frequent vigorous physical activity were associated with lower risk of reporting mental health problems among Icelandic adolescents. Those who reported a combination of engaging in less screen time and more frequent vigorous physical activity had the lowest risk, suggesting a synergistic relationship between the two behaviors on mental health outcomes. Our results support guiding youth towards more active and less sedentary/screen-based lifestyle.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.