Examining communication- and media-based recreational sedentary behaviors among Canadian youth: results from the COMPASS study.
OBJECTIVES
To examine the prevalence of different communication- and media-based sedentary behaviors and examine how they are associated with modifiable risk behaviors and key demographic correlates among a large sample of youth.


METHODS
Data from 23,031 grade 9 to grade 12 students in Year 1 (2012-2013) of the COMPASS study (Canada) were used to examine the prevalence of sedentary behaviors by gender and by grade. The between-school variance in sedentary behaviors was calculated and models were developed to examine how modifiable risk factors and demographic correlates were associated with sedentary behaviors.


RESULTS
Youth averaged 494 (± 313) min/day of sedentary behavior and 96.7% of the sample exceeded the sedentary behavior guidelines of no more than 2h per day. Significant between-school random variation in the sedentary behaviors was identified. Substance use, weight status, ethnicity, and gender were the main predictors of the sedentary behaviors examined.


CONCLUSIONS
The vast majority of youth in the COMPASS sample are considered highly sedentary. The evidence clearly suggests we need to develop more effective methods of intervening, that school-based programming is warranted, and that gender-specific programming may be required.
['Leatherdale|Scott T|ST|', 'Harvey|Amanda|A|']
D000293:Adolescent D017677:Age Distribution D002170:Canada D040421:Cell Phone D015331:Cohort Studies D003146:Communications Media D004032:Diet D005260:Female D017408:Guidelines as Topic D015438:Health Behavior D006801:Humans D020407:Internet D008297:Male D009043:Motor Activity D009765:Obesity D015995:Prevalence D011998:Recreation D012309:Risk-Taking D057185:Sedentary Behavior D017678:Sex Distribution D019966:Substance-Related Disorders D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D013690:Television D013997:Time Factors D018910:Video Games
Sedentary behavior Youth Alcohol Marijuana Obesity Physical activity Screen time Tobacco