SynthesisFrontiers in public health2025
Physical activity, screen time, dietary habits, and health outcomes among children and adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa region: a narrative review.
Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Measurement tools for sedentary behavior in the Arabic-speaking countries in MENA region: a systematic review of validated instruments from the BRIDGE project.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Article
- Replication of acne susceptibility loci and gene-environment interactions with screen time in Singapore and Malaysia Chinese population.JID innovations : skin science from molecules to population health · 2026Article
- Prevalence of overweight and obesity and their associations with lifestyle habits among late adolescents in the Northern Border Region of Saudi Arabia: a cross‑sectional study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Physical Activity Indicators Among Children and Adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates: Comparative Synthesis of Active Healthy Kids Report Card Data From 1998 to 2022.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2026Article
- Physical activity, dietary habits, screen time, and sleep duration among Saudi male adolescent athletes and non-athletes: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Associations between physical activity, physical fitness, sedentary behavior, and mathematics achievement in school-aged children: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in cognition · 2026Article
- Self-efficacy in lifestyle management among young Arab adults: a cross-cultural study in the EMRO region.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) are crucial determinants of health among children and adolescents. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has witnessed rapid urbanization, lifestyle transitions, and increased digitalization; all impact PA and ST behaviors. To our knowledge, we aimed to explore the prevalence of PA and ST among children and adolescents in the MENA region, as well as their correlations with health outcomes and dietary practices. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in major databases (Google Scholar, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTdiscus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus), 18 eligible studies from 7 countries were included. This narrative review explores the current literature on PA and ST patterns among children and adolescents in MENA, highlighting key trends, determinants, and health outcomes (dietary habits, obesity and overweight, body satisfaction, and quality of life). Results: Studies indicate that a significant proportion of children and adolescents in the region fail to meet the recommended PA guidelines, with sedentary lifestyles becoming increasingly prevalent. High ST exposure, driven by social media, gaming, and academic screen use, has been linked to unhealthy dietary habits, obesity, and metabolic disorders. This review highlights that boys are generally more physically active than girls. Socioeconomic factors, cultural norms, environmental barriers, and educational demands play crucial roles in shaping PA and ST behaviors. Conclusions: School-based interventions, parental influence, and policy measures promoting active lifestyles and accountable screen use are essential to mitigating the negative health effects. However, research gaps persist, particularly in longitudinal studies and intervention effectiveness. Addressing these challenges requires a multidisciplinary approach involving policymakers, educators, health professionals, and communities to foster healthier lifestyles among children and adolescents in the MENA region.
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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.