Exposure to Smartphones and Tablets, Physical Activity and Sleep in Children From 5 to 10 Years Old: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to verify the association between smartphone/tablet exposure and physical activity and sleep in children from 5 to 10 years old. Data Source: This study followed the guidelines of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and included studies that met eligibility criteria based on the "PECO" strategy: participants (children from 5 to 10 years old), exposure (smartphone and tablet use), and outcome (physical activity and sleep). STUDY INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA: The inclusion criteria were observational studies published in indexed scientific journals and written in Portuguese, English, and Spanish that verified the association of exposure to smartphones/tablets with physical activity and sleep in children aged 5 to 10 years of both sexes. Studies were considered eligible only if they met the previous criteria. Data Extraction: The search was conducted in January 2023 on databases from electronic journals without the restriction of the period. To meta-analyze were extracted and grouped using models of fixed and random effects, the coefficients Odds Ratio (OR), Beta (ß), Standard Error (SE), and Confidence Intervals of 95% (95%CI). Data Synthesis: 2396 potentially relevant papers were identified, and 17 met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: It can be verified that there was an inverse association between smartphones with physical activity and sleep. Studies indicate that for every additional hour of smartphone and tablet use, sleep can be expected to decrease by an average of 11 minutes (ß = - 0.11; 95%CI = -0.13; -0.09). Children using smartphones and tablets were 1.79 times (OR = 1.79; 95%CI = 1.72-1.86) more likely to have shorter sleep duration and 1.53 times (OR = 1.53; 95%CI = 1.41-1.65) more likely to have worse sleep quality. Children with shorter smartphone and tablet usage were 1.19 times more likely to be active (OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.03-1.37). CONCLUSION: Children of 5 to 10 years who are more often exposed to smartphones and tablets are prone to have worse quality and quantity of sleep, as well as less practice of physical activity. Health promotion actions can be encouraged based on the results, aiming to reduce the use time of these devices and improve children's health and quality of life.

Is Greater Social Support from Parents and Friends Related to Higher Physical Activity Levels among Adolescents?

Increasing physical activity levels during adolescence have been put on the agenda by several researchers. This study verified the association between social support from parents and friends and different amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among adolescents in public school. The present study had a cross-sectional design and included a representative sample of 1984 adolescents (aged 15-17). The ASAFA (Apoio Social para prática de Atividade Física para Adolescentes) scale and the QAFA (Questionário de Atividade Física para Adolescentes) were used to determine social support and physical activity, respectively. For statistical analysis, a conceptual model for structured equations and weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted were applied. Social support from parents increased the odds of engaging in 180 min/week of MVPA by 46.7%, 47.8% for 300 min/week, and 45.5% for 420 min/week. Social support from friends showed similar relations trends: 23.8% for 180 min/week, 23.6% for 300 min/week, and 21.2% for 420 min/week. Social support from parents and friends increased the probability of adolescents reaching the amounts of physical activity investigated. The results indicate that greater social support (from parents and friends) was associated with a higher level of MVPA in Brazilian adolescents.