Skip to main content

Screen Time Linked to Higher Cardiometabolic Risk in Children, Teens

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 7, 2025.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- Screen time is associated with higher cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

David Horner, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and colleagues examined data from more than 1,000 participants in the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood mother-child 2000 and 2010 cohorts. Discretionary screen time was assessed in relation to a composite cardiometabolic risk score, which was based on Z scores of waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose.

The researchers found that in both children and adolescents, each additional hour of screen time was associated with higher cardiometabolic risk (β = 0.08 and 0.13, respectively). In both cohorts, sleep duration significantly moderated this association, with an elevated risk seen among those with shorter sleep. There was also an association seen for screen time with higher predicted cardiovascular risk in adolescence (β = 0.07). A screen time-associated metabolomics signature that was identified in childhood was validated in adolescence (β = 0.14).

"We were able to detect a set of blood-metabolite changes, a 'screen-time fingerprint,' validating the potential biological impact of the screen time behavior," Horner said in a statement. "Using the same metabolomics data, we also assessed whether screen time was linked to predicted cardiovascular risk in adulthood, finding a positive trend in childhood and a significant association in adolescence. This suggests that screen-related metabolic changes may carry early signals of long-term heart health risk."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Higher Intake of Total Potatoes Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Risk

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- A higher intake of total potatoes, especially French fries, is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study...

Hearing Loss Linked to Lower Odds of Employment, Lower Income

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- Hearing loss is associated with a reduced likelihood of employment and with lower income among young adults, according to a study published online Aug. 1...

Increase Seen in Physician Visits ~15 Years Before MS Onset

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- Health care use is increased years before onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published online Aug. 1 in JAMA Network Open. Marta...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.