Westbury, Leo, Bevilacqua, Gregorio, Laskou, Faidra, Kirkham-Wilson, Fiona, Fuggle, Nicholas and Dennison, Elaine (2026) What is the connection between screen time and lifestyle factors important for bone health? Findings from the Hertfordshire Intergenerational Study. Archives of Osteoporosis, 21. (doi:10.1007/s11657-026-01675-z).
Abstract
Summary: screen time is increasing and may influence lifestyle factors relevant to bone health. In this study, more screen time was related to lower physical activity amongst males and individuals aged 21–52, and higher BMI amongst individuals aged 60–69. Greater screen time may increase the risk of poor bone health and obesity.
Purpose: screen time, whether through remote working or leisure pursuits, is rising in the adult population across all ages. Here, we consider how this relates to lifestyle factors important for bone health.
Methods: overall, 67 males and 136 females, aged 21–69, were analysed. BMI was derived from self-reported height and weight. Physical activity was ascertained using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire; a diet quality score was derived using principal component analysis. Screen time (past 7 days), smoking, alcohol intake, educational attainment, and comorbidities were self-reported. Screen time in relation to BMI, physical activity, diet quality, ever smoking, and high alcohol intake (> 14 units/week) was examined using linear and logistic regression as appropriate, with adjustment for education and number of comorbidities, and stratified by sex and age tertiles. Standard deviation (SD) differences in continuous outcomes (odds ratios for binary outcomes) per SD increase in screen time are reported.
Results: median (lower quartile, upper quartile) age was 56 (42, 60) years; corresponding statistics for screen time were 249 (152, 377) min/day. More screen time was related to lower physical activity, especially amongst males (−0.58 (95% CI −0.82, −0.35)) and those aged 21–52 (−0.47 (−0.71, −0.22)), higher BMI amongst those aged 60–69 (0.25 (0.03, 0.48)), and reduced odds of ever smoking amongst males (0.30 (0.10, 0.89)).
Conclusion: these findings suggest that increased screen time is related to health behaviours which may increase the risk of poor bone health and obesity, with differing associations according to sex and age groups.
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