Digital habits and physical health: a study of screen time and BMI among young healthcare profession students and residents.

BACKGROUND

Average screen time has increased drastically after the COVID-19 pandemic. It has raised concerns about the adverse effects, including the effect on BMI.

AIM

The present study is conducted to study the relationship between screen time and BMI among medical students at a medical institute in Lahore, Pakistan.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, a sample of 370 medical students and residents was obtained from a medical institute in Pakistan. An online survey to gather data about screen time activities, device usage, and BMI. Screen time was categorized into low (1-2 h/day), moderate (3-4 h/day), and high (5-6 h/day), while BMI score was calculated and categorized into under-weight, normal, overweight, and obese groups. Descriptive and inferential statistics including Spearman correlation analysis were applied using IBM SPSS 25.0.

RESULTS

Most participants fell into the normal BMI category (79%), with a smaller proportion classified as overweight (16%) or obese (5%). Most participants preferred using smartphones (92.1%). About 41% of participants had high screen time. There was a strong positive correlation between low screen time and normal BMI (r = 0.999). However, only 2.9% of the participants had low screen time. The link between higher screen time and obesity is observed especially in males, while females maintain a more stable normal weight, suggesting gender-based lifestyle or metabolic differences.

CONCLUSION

Screen time is significantly associated with BMI with a strong positive correlation as well. There is need to design educational programs to raise awareness about the safe use of devices and the amount of screen time.