Dr. Katie Gunnell is lead author on a paper, “Examining the bidirectional relationship between physical activity, screen time, and symptoms of anxiety and depression over time during adolescence,” that was recently published in Preventive Medicine.
Here are the highlights from the findings:
- Physical activity decreased over time.
- Screen time and symptoms of anxiety and depression increased over time.
- Initially higher screen time covaries with initially higher symptoms of depression and anxiety, irrespective of physical activity.
- Initial symptoms of depression independently predicted faster declines in physical activity over time
- Increases in screen time covary with increases in symptoms of anxiety, irrespective of changes in physical activity.
Citation details and a summary of the paper are below.
Gunnell KE, Flament MF, Buchholz A, Henderson KA, Obeid N, Schubert N, Goldfield GS. Examining the bidirectional relationship between physical activity, screen time, and symptoms of anxiety and depression over time during adolescence. Prev Med. 2016 Apr 14. pii: S0091-7435(16)30057-3.