The relationship between screen addiction and metabolic syndrome in adolescents

Objective: It is well established that the rapidly increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome in recent years is associated with chronic diseases, morbidity, and mortality in later life. Screen addiction, which promotes a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle, is common among adolescents and may be closely linked to metabolic syndrome. This study aims to investigate the relationship between screen addiction and metabolic syndrome in adolescents. Materials and Methods: This study was planned as a cross-sectional study. The research was conducted between February 2025 and April 2025 at seven different units of the Narlıdere Family Health Center No. 5 (ASM), located in Karaköprü, the central district of Şanlıurfa Province. The study population consisted of adolescent individuals aged 10–19 years who presented to these units. The research data were collected through face-to-face interviews with participants who provided consent, using a 17-item questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics and the 15-item Multiple Screen Addiction Scale to evaluate the level of screen addiction. Participants' height, weight, and blood pressure measurements were obtained using standard methods. As hyperlipidemia screening is conducted under the Ministry of Health's Adolescent Follow-Up Protocol and fasting blood glucose measurement for diabetes screening is mandatory within the Disease Management Platform (HYP), the fasting blood glucose and lipid profile data used in this study were obtained from blood samples collected as part of these routine screening programs. Results: Among the 248 participants in the study, 48.4% were female (n=120) and 51.6% were male (n=128). The mean age was 14.6 ± 2.4 years, ranging from 10 to 19 years, and the majority were at the middle school education level (62.5%; n=155). A total of 10.9% of the participants (n=27) reported a family history of obesity. The mean height of participants was 164.1 ± 10.8 cm, the mean body weight was 62.5 ± 19.4 kg, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.9 ± 5.5 kg/m², with a median of 9 21.58 kg/m². The BMI values ranged from 13.6 to 41.3 kg/m². The mean waist circumference was 75.6 ± 12.7 cm, with a minimum of 53 cm and a maximum of 110 cm. The mean systolic blood pressure was 103.9 ± 15.1 mmHg, and the mean diastolic blood pressure was 65.1 ± 10.6 mmHg. Regarding dietary habits, 32.3% (n=80) of participants reported "frequently" consuming junk food, while 9.3% (n=23) reported consuming it "always." The mean daily screen time was 4.2 ± 2.5 hours/day, with a median of 4 hours/day. Based on BMI classification, 61.3% (n=152) of participants were considered normal weight, 18.5% (n=46) were mildly obese, and 20.2% (n=50) were obese. Metabolic syndrome was identified in 9.7% of participants (n=24), and 48% of adolescents classified as obese were found to have metabolic syndrome. According to the Multiple Screen Addiction Scale, 34.3% (n=85) of participants were evaluated as being in the at-risk group for screen addiction. Individuals with higher screen addiction scores were more likely to present with metabolic syndrome compared to those with lower scores. A low positive correlation was observed between screen time and general obesity indicators, while a strong positive correlation was identified between screen time and weight, waist circumference, and BMI. The risk of metabolic syndrome increased with age, where each additional year of age was associated with an approximately 2.162-fold increase in risk. A family history of obesity was determined to be a strong risk factor, increasing the likelihood of metabolic syndrome by approximately 4.725 times. Furthermore, each additional hour of daily screen exposure increased the risk of metabolic syndrome by approximately 2.165 times. Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate a significant association between screen addiction and metabolic syndrome during adolescence. Increased screen time, reduced physical activity, and unhealthy dietary habits are key risk factors for the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome in adolescents. Raising awareness through pre-graduate and post-graduate educational programs and expanding health counseling services that encourage lifestyle modifications in primary care settings, such as family health centers, is essential. Limiting screen time and implementing regular health screenings may contribute to the prevention of metabolic disorders during adolescence.