Smartphone and tablet use and overweight in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v81.119604Keywords:
Child, Obesity, Overweight, Smartphone, TabletAbstract
Introduction: Smartphone and tablet use has increased substantially among children in recent years and has been associated with several health outcomes, including excess weight.
Objective: To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between smartphone and tablet use and overweight and obesity in children aged 5 to 10 years.
Methodology: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included observational studies that met the eligibility criteria based on population, exposure, and outcome (PECO). Searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and LILACS. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the AXIS tool. Meta-analyses were performed using the inverse variance method with fixed- and random-effects models.
Results: A total of 1,883 records were identified, and 18 studies were included in the systematic review, of which 12 were included in the meta-analysis. Smartphone and tablet use was positively associated with overweight and obesity in children (OR = 1.31; 95%CI 1.24–1.39). A sensitivity analysis including studies with comparable effect measures showed a stronger association (OR = 1.88; 95%CI 1.54–2.30).
Discussion: The findings are consistent with previous studies suggesting that greater exposure to screen-based devices may be related to excess weight during childhood.
Conclusions: Greater smartphone and tablet use was associated with higher odds of overweight and obesity in children, highlighting the importance of monitoring screen-based behaviors during childhood.
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