P278 - THE SCREEN EFFECT: HOW TECHNOLOGY IS SHAPING OUR HEALTH

Background: Leisure screen time is a prevalent sedentary behaviour with potential impacts on both physical and mental health. This study examines the associations between screen time, adherence to physical activity guidelines, self-reported health, and perceived mental health in the Quebec population, stratified by sex. Given that regular physical activity is associated with a 14% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk, and that reducing sedentary behaviours—particularly discretionary screen time—may improve cardiometabolic health and lower all-cause mortality, understanding these interrelationships is essential for informing public health strategies.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This study uses data from the 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey, a cross-sectional and nationally representative survey. Leisure screen time was categorized: ≤2h/day, >2h- < 4h, 4h- < 6h, and ≥6h/day. Associations with meeting physical activity guidelines (≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity), self-reported health (excellent/very good/good vs. fair/poor), and perceived mental health were analyzed by sex.

Higher screen time was associated with a lower likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines, particularly among men: 76.7% of men with ≥6h/day of screen time did not meet the guidelines, compared to 30.9% of those with ≤2h/day. A similar trend was observed in women, albeit less pronounced.
The proportion of men reporting their health status as excellent, very good or good decreased with increasing screen time: 8% of those with ≥6h/day reported such status, compared to 35% among those with ≤2h/day. Similar trends were observed in women.
Perceived mental health declined with increasing screen time in both men and women. Among men, the proportion reporting positive mental health decreased from 35% for ≤2h/day to 8% for ≥6h/day. Similar trends were observed in women (36% for ≤2h/day vs. 7% for ≥6h/day), highlighting an inverse relationship between screen time and psychological well-being.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the association between high leisure screen time and poorer self-reported health, lower mental well-being, and reduced adherence to physical activity guidelines in both men and women. These results emphasize the importance of considering screen time reduction as a modifiable target in public health initiatives promoting overall health. Furthermore, given the established links between physical activity and reduced cardiovascular disease risk, integrating strategies to limit screen time could also play a key role in preventing heart disease and improving cardiometabolic health.