The Screen Effect: How Technology is Shaping Our Health

Abstract Leisure screen time is a key sedentary behavior that may influence various aspects of physical and mental health. This study examines the associations between screen time, meeting physical activity guidelines, self-reported health, and mental health in the Quebec population, considering sex differences. 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. Our findings highlight the association between high leisure screen time and poorer self-reported health, lower perceived mental well-being, and reduced adherence to physical activity guidelines in both men and women. These findings emphasize the importance of considering screen time reduction as a modifiable target in public health initiatives promoting overall health. Key messages • High leisure screen time is linked to poorer health and lower physical activity levels in both sexes. • Reducing screen time could be a target for improving well-being in public health strategies.