Children's Internet use and physical and psychosocial development

Svetlana Novaković; Sanja Milenković; Marijana Srećković; Dušan Backović; Vladimir Ignjatović; Nataša Capo; Tamara Stojanović; Vladimir Vukomanović; Marija Sekulić; Jagoda Gavrilović; Katarina Vuleta; Vesna Ignjatović

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1163458

Children's Internet use and physical and psychosocial development

Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 8:11:1163458. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1163458. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Public Health Institute Požarevac, Požarevac, Serbia.
² Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
³ Department of Medical and Business-Technological, Academy of Professional Studies Šabac, Šabac, Serbia.
⁴ Public Health Institute Šabac, Šabac, Serbia.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁷ Department of Cardiology, University Clinical Center Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
⁸ Department for Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Novi Sad, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
⁹ Faculty of Philology and Arts, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
¹⁰ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
¹¹ Department of Hygiene and Ecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
¹² Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.

Abstract

Introduction: Internet use (IU) commonly refers to sedentary lifestyle and may be addictive, especially among children. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between IU and some aspects of child physical and psychosocial development.

Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional survey by using a screen-time based sedentary behavior questionnaire and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)-among 836 primary school children in the Braničevo District. The children's medical records were analysed for vision problems and spinal deformities. Their body weight (BW) and height (BH) were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated as BW in kilograms divided by BH in meters squared (kg/m²).

Results: The average age of respondents was 13.4 (SD 1.2) years. The mean duration of daily Internet use and sedentary behavior was 236 (SD 156) and 422 (SD 184) minutes, respectively. There was no significant correlation between daily IU and vision problems (near sightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, strabismus), and spinal deformities. However, daily Internet use is significantly associated with obesity (p < 0.001) and sedentary behavior (p = 0.01). There was significant correlation between emotional symptoms with total Internet usage time, and total sedentary score (p < 0.001 for both, r = 0.141 and r = 0.132, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the total sedentary score of children and hyperactivity/inattention (r = 0.167, p < 0.001), emotional symptoms (r = 0.132, p < 0.001), and conduct problems (r = 0.084, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: In our study, children's Internet use was associated with obesity, psychological disturbances and social maladjustment.

Keywords: Internet use; obesity; physical development; psychosocial development; schoolchildren; sedentary behavior; spine deformities; vision.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Body Weight
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise*
Humans
Internet Use*
Obesity