Impact of Screen Time on physical Activity Level and Body Composition among College Students

Abstract

Introduction: The transition to early adulthood is a critical period for establishing long-term health behaviors. Increased time spent on phones, laptops, and other digital devices may contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, lower physical activity, and unfavorable weight gain. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between screen time, physical activity levels, and body fat percentage among early adulthood students. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted among 238 students (126 females and 112 males) aged 17–22 years from ICFAI University Tripura. Screen time was obtained from the previous week’s mobile device records. Physical activity level was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), and body fat percentage was estimated using the Durnin and Womersley four-site skinfold method followed by the Siri equation. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for data analysis. Results: The findings showed no significant sex difference in screen time, with females recording 305.68±89.65 minutes and males 295.35±88.44 minutes (p=0.373). Male students demonstrated significantly higher physical activity levels (516.39±101.23 MET-min/week) than female students (456.02±90.82 MET-min/week; p<0.001). Female students had significantly higher body fat percentage (27.25±3.71) than males (20.52±3.38; p<0.001). Correlation analysis revealed that screen time was negatively associated with physical activity (r=-0.79) and positively associated with body fat percentage. Physical activity level was negatively related to body fat percentage (r=-0.34). Conclusion: The study concludes that excessive screen time is an important lifestyle factor associated with reduced physical activity and less favorable body composition among college students. These findings highlight the need for health promotion initiatives during the transition to adulthood to encourage balanced technology use, regular physical activity, and healthier lifestyle behaviors.