In boys, too much screen time spent in front of a computer screen has been associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) according to the results of a scientific study presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal diseases.
Researchers at the Norwegian Arctic University, Tromsø explored the hypothesis that higher weekend computer use is associated with low BMD.
Sedentary lifestyle harms boys’ bone density
Medical data was obtained from 463 girls and 484 boys aged 15-18 in the Tromsø region of Norway. Students participated in the Fit Futures from 2010-20111 study which assessed over 90% of all first year high school students in the region.
The skeleton is constantly developing from birth through late adolescence to peak bone mass and maximum strength in adulthood. “Along with nutritional factors, physical activity can also significantly influence this process. There is growing concern about the possible negative effects. sedentary lifestyles in young people on bone health and obesity “explains Dr. Anne Winther lead author of the study.
Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that boys spent more time in front of the computer than girls. They also noticed that the longer this time, the lower the BMD and the higher the BMI of boys. In contrast, girls who spend 4 to 6 hours in front of the computer have a higher BMD than girls who spend less than 1.5 hours of screen time each day.
“Bone mineral density is a strong predictor of future fracture risk. Our results for girls are intriguing and certainly merit further exploration. In contrast, the findings for boys clearly show that the pattern of sedentary life during adolescence can have an impact on BMD and thus can compromise the acquisition of maximum bone mass. This can have a negative impact on the risks ofosteoporosis and fractures later in life “said Dr Anne Winther.
According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), one in five men over the age of 50 worldwide will suffer from a fracture as a result of osteoporosis.
