Internet and Video Game Use in Relation to Overweight in Young Adults

Abstract

Purpose.

To examine the relationship between interactive media use (Internet and video games) and overweight risk in young adults.

Design.

Prospective cohort study.

Setting.

France (TEMPO study).

Subjects.

Community sample of 674 young adults aged 22 to 35 in 2009 (response rate to the original mail out: 44.3%).

Measures.

Data were collected through mail-based questionnaires from study participants in 1999 (juvenile overweight, juvenile TV use) and 2009 (overweight, Internet and video game use, regular physical activity), and from their parents who participated in the GAZEL study from 1989 to 2009 (parental overweight).

Analysis.

Logistic regression.

Results.

Participants who engaged in regular video game use (> 1 time/wk) were more likely to be overweight than those who did not (odds ratio [OR] 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42–3.42). Adjusting for sex, regular athletic activity, juvenile overweight, juvenile TV use, and parental overweight, the OR associated with video game use decreased but remained statistically significant (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.15–3.28). We found no significant association between Internet use and overweight.

Conclusion.

Video game use may be a relevant target for interventions aiming to decrease the burden of overweight and associated consequences in young adults.