Longitudinal associations between screen time and whole-body adiposity during the first decade of life: insights from the GUSTO cohort
Authors' conclusion
Greater screen time, notably television time, was prospectively associated with greater adiposity among boys, but not in girls. Future studies should investigate the potential mediating mechanisms involved in this sex-specific relationship.
Study context
- Population
- Children from the Singapore GUSTO cohort; parent-reported screen time (television and handheld devices) at ages 2 and 3 years; body fat assessed between ages 4 and 10 years (body mass index (BMI), zBMI, skinfold thicknesses, whole-body fat % by BOD POD and/or EchoMRI)
- Participants
- 935 children
- Exposure
- Screen time at 2–3 years and subsequent adiposity
- Outcome
- Adiposity (BMI, zBMI, skinfold thicknesses, whole-body body fat percentage)
- Follow-up
- Ages 4 to 10 years
Methodological detailsgeneralized estimating equations, adjusted for potential confounders, stratified by child sex
- Generalized estimating equations
- Adjusted for potential confounders
- Stratified by child sex
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Association of average screen time at 2–3 years with adiposity
Boys: whole-body fat % per 1-h/day increase in total screen time, β
0.40 [0.05, 0.75] % per h/day (95% CI)
Boys: whole-body fat % per 1-h/day increase in TV time, β
0.55 [0.10, 1.00] % (95% CI)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Average screen time at 2–3 years
- Mean (±SD) screen time
- 2.5 (±1.8) h/day
Body fat % by BOD POD · 8 years
- Boys, mean (±SD)
- 21.8% (±9.1)
- Girls, mean (±SD)
- 20.5% (±8.9)
Original publication
Longitudinal associations between screen time and whole-body adiposity during the first decade of life: insights from the GUSTO cohort. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 9 March 2026. doi:10.
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