The effect of time spent sitting and excessive gaming on the weight status, and perceived weight stigma among Taiwanese young adults

Measurement Invariance of the Lemmens Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-9 Across Age, Gender, and Respondents

Although Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has gained increased attention in scientific, clinical, and community contexts, there is still a lack of consensus regarding the best assessment tools (i.e., self-report or other reports) for assessing its symptoms. The present study aimed to investigate the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of both versions (youth and parent) of The Lemmens Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-9. To achieve this goal, we recruited between June and October 2019 from five Romanian highschools a total of 697 adolescents (11-19 years old) and one of their parents (N = 391). The internal consistency was good in both versions of the instrument (α = 0.772 for the youth version and α = 0.781 for the parent version). Construct validity assessed through confirmatory factor analysis showed support for the one factor structure of the scales, while multigroup confirmatory factor analysis endorsed the invariance across age, gender, and respondents (i.e., parent vs. youth report). The current research identifies both IGD scales to be reliable and valid, arguing for their utility for assessing IGD symptomatology among adolescents. Implications for theory, assessment, and future directions are discussed.

Association among physical activity, anxiety and oral health status in Chinese university students: A cross-sectional study

Background

Evidence is limited regarding the relationship among physical activity, anxiety, and oral health in Chinese university students. This cross-sectional investigation aimed to assess the potential relationship between physical activity, anxiety, and oral health conditions among university students in China.

Methods

An online questionnaire measuring physical activity, anxiety status, and oral health condition was completed by 1604 university students. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were selected to evaluate physical activity and anxiety, respectively. Oral health condition was assessed through several self-reported variables, including self-reported toothache, gingival bleeding, frequency of tooth brushing, and use of dental floss. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the underlying relationship between outcome variables. The control variables included age, height, weight, gender, whether only one-child, education level, parental education level, smoking status, drinking habits, and length of sleep. Path analysis was conducted to disentangle the association between physical activity, anxiety, and oral health conditions.

Results

Among 1604 university students, 666 (41.5 %) were males and 938 (58.5 %) were females, with an average of 21.9 ± 2.8 years. Only 833 (51.9 %) reported sufficient physical activity, while 684 (42.6 %) of the subjects displayed varying degrees of anxiety. Self-reported gingival bleeding was associated with insufficient physical activity (OR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.02-1.55), anxiety (OR = 0.45; 95%CI: 0.27-0.74), frequency of tooth brushing (OR = 0.75; 95%CI: 0.60-0.95) and use of dental floss (OR = 0.75; 95%CI: 0.59-0.96), while toothache was not directly influenced by the physical activity and anxiety among university students. Anxiety markedly mediated the relationship between physical activity and oral health conditions.

Conclusions

Anxiety was considered a factor associated with the level of physical activity, tooth brushing habits, and self-reported gingival bleeding among university students. Further investigations are required to elucidate whether oral health conditions could be enhanced through the improvement of anxiety and physical activity.

Postural prevalence, time of day and spent time activities during smartphone weekday use among students: A survey to prevent musculoskeletal disorders

The long time spent on smartphones in awkward postures exposes young users to the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study aimed to investigate 1) how the duration of smartphone use varies by the time of day and activities and 2) the risks of MSDs based on an analysis of the postures used when interacting with smartphones. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 263 university students. The duration of smartphone use during a typical weekday was investigated over four times of the day and seven activities. After checking for normality, a nonparametric Friedman test was used to study the differences in the time spent using a smartphone according to the time of day and activity. Postural prevalence during weekdays was analyzed using a taxonomy called SmarTaxo, consisting of 41 postures. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) ergonomic score was chosen to assess the MSD risks associated with each posture. Smartphone use was the highest in the evening (301.1 min; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 277.4-324.8 min, p < 0.05). Texting (170.8 min; 95 % CI: 152.0-189.6 min) and watching videos (163.6 min; 95 % CI: 146.3-180.9 min) were the most common activities. Three sitting and two walking postures were primarily used in the morning (29.3-36.9 %), afternoon (27.0-44.4 %), and evening (28.9%-38.9 %). Standing postures were preferred in the morning and afternoon (36.9 % and 42.2 %, respectively), while one lying posture was widely reported in the evening (39.2 %). The RULA scores for these postures ranged from 3 to 4. However, four lying postures, often observed during the evening (frequency between 20.5 % and 37.6 % of the time), had RULA scores of 6. In conclusion, the study identified an existing MSD risk among smartphone users, especially with long durations of daily use. Special emphasis should be placed on addressing the reclining postures adopted during evening smartphone use, as they subject students to a significantly elevated risk of MSDs.