Exploring the associations between play and lifestyle behaviours in adolescents in Switzerland

Abstract Background Play is a central behaviour in early life with direct benefits for development. Play further contributes to the organisation of daily routines with indirect consequences for health. This study examines the associations between play modalities (digital vs. analogue) and three lifestyle behaviours in adolescents: eating habits, sleep, and physical activity while considering the amount, timing, and spatial context of play. Methods In autumn 2025, a sample of 640 Swiss adolescents (aged 10–15 years) completed a self-administered online questionnaire at school. Associations were analysed using multivariate structural equation modelling, treating all three lifestyle behaviours simultaneously as observed variables. Both direct associations and conditional associations were estimated, including amount, timing, and spatial context of play as moderators. Results Compared to analogue play, digital play was associated with worse healthy eating habits (β = − .15; p = .001) and sleep quality and quantity (β = − .11; p = .027), whereas no significant association emerged with physical activity (β = − .02; p = .700). Play amount and its interaction with play modality were not significantly associated with lifestyle behaviours. Evening and nighttime play was associated with worse healthy eating habits (β = − .20; p = .001) and sleep quality and quantity (β = − .17; p = .004), independently of play modality. Outdoor play was associated with higher levels of physical activity (β = .14; p = .008), once again independently of play modality. Females reported worse lifestyle behaviours, while older adolescents reported worse eating habits. Lifestyle behaviours were positively associated among each other, except for sleep and physical activity. Conclusion Associations between adolescents’ play and lifestyle behaviours are not uniform but vary according to how play is embedded within daily routines. The study findings highlight the importance of considering not only play modality, but also when and where it takes place, with implications for targeted public health promotion strategies.