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Peprah P, Oduro MS, Atta-Osei G, Addo IY, Morgan AK, Gyasi RM. Problematic social media use mediates the effect of cyberbullying victimisation on psychosomatic complaints in adolescents. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9773. [PMID: 38684725 PMCID: PMC11058249 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescent psychosomatic complaints remain a public health issue globally. Studies suggest that cyberbullying victimisation, particularly on social media, could heighten the risk of psychosomatic complaints. However, the mechanisms underlying the associations between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints remain unclear. This cross-cultural study examines the mediating effect of problematic social media use (PSMU) on the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints among adolescents in high income countries. We analysed data on adolescents aged 11-16.5 years (weighted N = 142,298) in 35 countries participating in the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Path analysis using bootstrapping technique tested the hypothesised mediating role of PSMU. Results from the sequential binary mixed effects logit models showed that adolescents who were victims of cyberbullying were 2.39 times significantly more likely to report psychosomatic complaints than those who never experienced cyberbullying (AOR = 2.39; 95%CI = 2.29, 2.49). PSMU partially mediated the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints accounting for 12% ( β = 0.01162, 95%CI = 0.0110, 0.0120) of the total effect. Additional analysis revealed a moderation effect of PSMU on the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints. Our findings suggest that while cyberbullying victimisation substantially influences psychosomatic complaints, the association is partially explained by PSMU. Policy and public health interventions for cyberbullying-related psychosomatic complaints in adolescents should target safe social media use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prince Peprah
- Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael Safo Oduro
- Pfizer Research and Development, PSSM Data Sciences, Pfizer, Inc., Connecticut, USA
| | - Godfred Atta-Osei
- Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Isaac Yeboah Addo
- Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anthony Kwame Morgan
- Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
| | - Razak M Gyasi
- African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
- National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
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Peprah P, Oduro MS, Boakye PA, Morgan AK. Association between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms among Canadian adolescents. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:1607-1617. [PMID: 38183436 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-05392-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the mediating roles of gender and substance use in the influence of breakfast skipping on psychosomatic symptoms. The study used data among a nationally-representative sample of 2855 Canadian adolescents who participated in the 2018 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Sequential logistic regressions were used to estimate the associations between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms. Path analysis using a non-parametric bootstrapping technique tested the hypothesized mediating roles. Results showed that adolescents who skipped breakfast were 2.55 times more likely to report higher psychosomatic symptoms compared to non-breakfast skippers (AOR = 2.55; 95% CI = 1.75-3.82). The bootstrapping mediation models showed that breakfast skipping indirectly influenced psychosomatic symptoms through substance use and gender, accounting for 18.47% ( β = 0.0052, Boots 95% CI = 0.0025, 0.00730) and 10.70% ( β = 0.0091, Boots 95% CI = 0.0052, 0.0125), respectively, of the total effect. Our findings have important implications for targeted public and mental health interventions to address both breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms among adolescents. Conclusion: The study compellingly underscores the significance of incorporating gender-specific factors and substance use in understanding the correlation between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms. These insights hold importance for tailoring public health interventions to alleviate the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms among adolescents by actively addressing breakfast skipping. What is Known: • Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day due to its role in providing the brain with the energy necessary to enhance cognitive functions. • Adolescents commonly exhibit a prevalent lifestyle behaviour of skipping breakfast. What is New: • This study provides robust evidence supporting the association between breakfast skipping and elevated psychosomatic symptoms in adolescents. • Gender and substance use mediate this association, offering novel insights into the complex interplay that contributes to psychosomatic symptoms among this demographic group. • Longitudinal research is needed to unravel causal relationships and illuminate the underlying mechanisms of this intricate connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prince Peprah
- Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Peter Ansah Boakye
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Anthony Kwame Morgan
- Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
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Huang WY, Feng J, Zheng C, Jiao J, Wong SHS. Associations of social jetlag with physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sleep Res 2024; 33:e13997. [PMID: 37443521 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Sleep and daytime movement behaviours occur co-dependently with each other within a finite 24 h day. Sleep parameters other than sleep duration, such as social jetlag and chronotype, have been linked to health problems and unhealthy behaviours among children and adolescents. Given the increasing number of studies examining sleep timing/chronotype and weight-related behaviours, including physical activity and sedentary behaviour, in the past decade, this systematic review and meta-analysis collated and evaluated the evidence on the relationships of social jetlag and chronotype with physical activity and sedentary behaviour among children and adolescents aged 3-17 years. Seven databases were searched on 16 March 2022, and 52 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion, 47 of which were suitable for the meta-analysis. A positive association was found between social jetlag and screen media use (r = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04-0.24; I2 = 96%; p = 0.008). The morning chronotype was associated with a higher level of physical activity and a lower level of sedentary behaviour than the evening chronotype. No relationship was found between social jetlag and physical activity. The magnitude of heterogeneity among the included studies was high. Further experimental studies are urgently required to understand how circadian preference or misalignment affects activity behaviours. Interventions to promote an active lifestyle in young populations should consider their circadian preference, especially among individuals with the evening chronotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Y Huang
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Dr Stephen Hui Research Centre for Physical Recreation and Wellness, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jie Feng
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chen Zheng
- Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiao Jiao
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Stephen H S Wong
- Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Zhang Y, Wang D, Ma Z, Liu W, Su Y, Wang W, You Z, Fan F. Problematic internet use and suicide ideation among Chinese adolescents: The indirect effects of insomnia, nightmares, and social jetlag. J Affect Disord 2024; 344:347-355. [PMID: 37838270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Problematic Internet use (PIU) is related to suicide ideation (SI) in adolescents, but little is known about the potential mechanisms between them. This study aimed to examine the mediation roles of insomnia, nightmares, and social jetlag in the association of PIU with SI in adolescents. METHODS A total of 39,731 adolescents (mean age = 13.49 ± 0.76 years, 54.4 % males) from Shenzhen, China, participated in a cross-sectional survey. SI was assessed using the ninth item of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. PIU was measured by the Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess insomnia symptoms, nightmare frequency, social jetlag, sleep duration, psychological distress, and social-demographical characteristics. Logistic regression and path analyses were performed to examine the associations between PIU, insomnia symptoms, nightmares, social jetlag, and SI. RESULTS The prevalence of PIU and SI were 14.9 % and 18.6 %, respectively. PIU, insomnia symptoms, frequent nightmares, and social jetlag were significantly associated with SI. Path analyses showed that the indirect effects of PIU on SI through insomnia symptoms, frequent nightmares, and social jetlag were significant. Conversely, social jetlag significantly mediated the pathway from SI to PIU. The mediation effect sizes of these sleep and circadian problems were slightly larger in females than in males. LIMITATIONS Cross-sectional design limited the capacity to infer causal relationships. CONCLUSIONS The associations between PIU and SI were mediated by sleep and circadian problems. These findings underscore the importance of assessing and intervening in sleep and circadian problems among adolescents with PIU or SI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhang
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongfang Wang
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zijuan Ma
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenxu Liu
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunlin Su
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenli You
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Fan
- School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
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Oduro MS, Katey D, Morgan AK, Peprah P. Problematic social media use and overweight/obesity: explanatory pathway analysis of 124 667 in-school adolescents in 39 high-income countries. Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e13073. [PMID: 37691184 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between adolescent problematic social media use (PSMU) and overweight/obesity and the potential explanatory pathways for this association are unclear. This study (1) examined the relationship between PSMU and overweight/obesity and (2) evaluated potential explanatory pathways for this association. METHODS The data used in this study came from the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. A sample of 124 667 in-school adolescents from 39 high-income countries was analysed. Sequential logistic regressions were used to estimate the association between PSMU and overweight/obesity. Pathway analysis using a non-parametric bootstrapping technique tested the hypothesized mediating roles. RESULTS The multivariable logistic regressions indicated that higher problematic social media users were 1.11 times more likely to be overweight/obese compared with those who reported low PSMU (AOR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.05-1.18). Our bootstrapping mediation analyses showed that PSMU indirectly influenced overweight/obesity through breakfast skipping, life satisfaction, family communication, self-rated health, and physical activity, accounting for 19.8% (β = 0.0068, Boots 95% CI = 0.0056-0.0074), 15.1% (β = 0.0050, Boots 95% CI = 0.0046-0.0056), 9.2% (β = 0.0031, Boots 95% CI = 0.0024-0.0038), 7.8% (β = 0.0024, Boots 95% CI = 0.001-0.004), and 5.2% (β = 0.0017, Boots 95% CI = 0.0014-0.0023), respectively, of the total effect. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that used nationally representative data from multiple countries in high-income countries to examine the association between PSMU and overweight/obesity and potential explanatory pathways among school-going adolescents. This finding has important implications for public health interventions to reduce overweight/obesity rates among young people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Safo Oduro
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Pharm Sci and PGS Statistics, Groton, Connecticut, USA
| | - Daniel Katey
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Prince Peprah
- Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Limone P, Ragni B, Toto GA. The epidemiology and effects of video game addiction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2023; 241:104047. [PMID: 37897856 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing popularity and accessibility of video games, the public concern about their effects - positive and negative - has also increased. In this regard, this systematic review sought to identify and thematically analyze recent studies (in the last five years) and report on video games' epidemiological characteristics and outcomes. A systematic database search was done on ScienceDirect, APA PsycINFO, Emerald, and Scopus databases for articles published from January 1, 2017, to April 1, 2022. The Meta XL software - an add-in for Microsoft Excel - was used to calculate the pooled prevalence level of video game addiction. The database search yielded a total of 693 non-duplicate articles. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 27 articles were selected to be included in the systematic review. Along with this, 12 articles were considered for the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence level of gaming addiction was 5.0 % (95 % CI, 2.1-8.8 %). The I2 value was 99.297 with a p-value of 0.000. The factors that accompanied addictive video gaming were psychological, social, and personal. An addictive gaming behavior was characterized by spending an above-average time on gaming, doing most of the gaming online, and gaming activities interfering with sleep patterns. Some predictors of addictive gaming were emotional dependence, social detachment, increased gaming time, preference for playing online than offline, and increased emotional and psychological stress. Engaging in addictive gaming led to adverse outcomes such as lower academic scores, depression, and anxiety, as well as decreased self-esteem, life satisfaction, and social support. From the collected findings it could be concluded that extreme playing of video games can be classified as addictive. Following the identification of risk factors, appropriate corrective or interventional measures should be developed and applied coherently to newer statistical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierpaolo Limone
- Learning Science Hub, Department of Human Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
| | - Benedetta Ragni
- Learning Science Hub, Department of Human Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
| | - Giusi Antonia Toto
- Learning Science Hub, Department of Human Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
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Conway A, Miller AL. Social jetlag longitudinally predicts internalizing and externalizing behavior for adolescent females, but not males. Chronobiol Int 2023; 40:1404-1418. [PMID: 37814409 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2023.2265480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological changes contribute to preferences for later bed and wake times during adolescence, yet the social constraints of school start times necessitate early wake times. This often results in social jetlag (i.e. misalignment between preferred sleep timing on weekends and school days). We examined whether social jetlag predicts adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior over time and/or whether associations differ based on sex. We used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development Study (n = 767) to test whether social jetlag at 6th grade (ages 12-13 years) predicted internalizing and externalizing behavior at age 15 years and whether child sex moderated associations. Controlling for internalizing and externalizing behavior at 6th grade (ages 12-13 years), results were that social jetlag at 6th grade (ages 12-13 years) predicted more internalizing and externalizing behaviors at age 15 for females, but not males. These findings show that social jetlag during early adolescence confers risk for internalizing and externalizing behavior in females at mid-adolescence. Greater attention should be placed on identifying and addressing social jetlag in adolescent females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Conway
- Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Alison L Miller
- Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Abor, Michigan, USA
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Meriläinen M, Ruotsalainen M. The light, the dark, and everything else: making sense of young people's digital gaming. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1164992. [PMID: 37388650 PMCID: PMC10306168 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1164992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether gaming has a beneficial or detrimental effect on young people's lives is a defining feature in both the research and the public discussion of youth digital gaming. In this qualitative study, we draw from a thematic analysis of the experiences of 180 game players in Finland, aged 15-25 years. Utilizing the digital gaming relationship (DGR) theory, we explore how different aspects of gaming actualize in their lives, and how different features of gaming culture participation come together to form their experience. We contend that framing gaming as a balancing act between beneficial and detrimental obscures much of the complexity of young people's gaming, reinforces a partially false dichotomy, and overlooks young people's agency. Based on our results, we suggest alternative approaches that help reduce and avoid these problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Ruotsalainen
- Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Borisenkov MF, Tserne TA, Bakutova LA, Gubin DG. Food addiction and emotional eating are associated with intradaily rest-activity rhythm variability. Eat Weight Disord 2022; 27:3309-3316. [PMID: 35932417 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-022-01461-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the present investigation was to study the associations among parameters characterizing eating behavior and actimetry-derived indices of circadian rhythm of motor activity. METHODS The study involved 81 healthy participants (average age: 21.5 ± 9.6 y, women: 77.8%). Each study participant provided personal data, filled out the Yale Food Addiction Scale and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and wore a wrist actimeter for 7 consecutive days to record motor activity. Using time series treatments, we obtained: (a) three cosinor-derived parametric indices [Medline Estimating Statistics of Rhythm (MESOR), amplitude, and acrophase], and (b) four non-parametric indices [interdaily stability, intradaily variability (I.V.), most active 10-h period (M10), and least active 5-h period] characterizing the 24-h rhythm of motor activity. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and BMI was performed to assess the associations among the studied indicators. RESULTS It was shown that I.V. is a predictor of symptoms of food addiction (β = 0.242, P = 0.037) and emotional eating (β = 0.390, P = 0.004), MESOR is a predictor of symptoms of food addiction (β = 0.342, P = 0.003), and M10 predicts restraint (β = 0.257, P = 0.015) and emotional eating (β = 0.464, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION It was shown for the first time that an increase in symptom counts of food addiction is associated with an increase in the average level and fragmentation of 24-h rhythm of motor activity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail F Borisenkov
- Institute of Physiology of Komi Science Center of the Ural Branch of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russia.
| | - Tatyana A Tserne
- Institute of Physiology of Komi Science Center of the Ural Branch of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russia
| | - Larisa A Bakutova
- Institute of Physiology of Komi Science Center of the Ural Branch of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russia
| | - Denis G Gubin
- Tyumen Medical University, Tyumen, Russia.,Tyumen Cardiology Research Centre, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Science, Tyumen, Russia
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The association between social jetlag and poor health and its (nutritional) mechanisms. Public Health Nutr 2022; 25:2582-2583. [PMID: 35570684 PMCID: PMC9991686 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022001161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Digital Addiction and Sleep. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116910. [PMID: 35682491 PMCID: PMC9179985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In 2020, the World Health Organization formally recognized addiction to digital technology (connected devices) as a worldwide problem, where excessive online activity and internet use lead to inability to manage time, energy, and attention during daytime and produce disturbed sleep patterns or insomnia during nighttime. Recent studies have shown that the problem has increased in magnitude worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which dysfunctional sleep is a consequence of altered motivation, memory function, mood, diet, and other lifestyle variables or results from excess of blue-light exposure when looking at digital device screens for long hours at day and night is one of many still unresolved questions. This article offers a narrative overview of some of the most recent literature on this topic. The analysis provided offers a conceptual basis for understanding digital addiction as one of the major reasons why people, and adolescents in particular, sleep less and less well in the digital age. It discusses definitions as well as mechanistic model accounts in context. Digital addiction is identified as functionally equivalent to all addictions, characterized by the compulsive, habitual, and uncontrolled use of digital devices and an excessively repeated engagement in a particular online behavior. Once the urge to be online has become uncontrollable, it is always accompanied by severe sleep loss, emotional distress, depression, and memory dysfunction. In extreme cases, it may lead to suicide. The syndrome has been linked to the known chronic effects of all drugs, producing disturbances in cellular and molecular mechanisms of the GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems. Dopamine and serotonin synaptic plasticity, essential for impulse control, memory, and sleep function, are measurably altered. The full spectrum of behavioral symptoms in digital addicts include eating disorders and withdrawal from outdoor and social life. Evidence pointing towards dysfunctional melatonin and vitamin D metabolism in digital addicts should be taken into account for carving out perspectives for treatment. The conclusions offer a holistic account for digital addiction, where sleep deficit is one of the key factors.
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