NEW DELHI: The International Physical Activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) Adolescent study reveals that adolescents globally are spending an average of eight to ten hours per day engaging in sedentary activities.
The findings shed light on how environmental and lifestyle factors influence sedentary behaviour (SB) among adolescents aged 11–19 years across diverse cultural contexts.
The sedentary activities included watching television, using electronic devices, playing video games, and riding in motorized vehicles, according to the multi-country study. India was a major contributor to the study.
The study published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity analysed data from 6,302 adolescents and their parents. India was a major contributor to the study.
Social media use emerged as the most significant correlate of total sedentary time for both sexes, the study found.
It also found that recreational screen time averaged 3.8 hours per day, while transport-related sitting time was approximately 40 minutes per day.
Dr. R. M. Anjana, President of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and first author of the study said, “This study is an important step in understanding the global patterns of sedentary behaviour among adolescents. Identifying social media use as a significant factor influencing sedentary time highlights the need for interventions aimed at promoting balanced screen use and encouraging active lifestyles in young people.”
She also said parents, policymakers, and technology companies must work together to reduce access to screens, limit social media engagement, and promote more physical activity.
She expressed that this will help adolescents develop healthier habits and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
Accelerometer-based sedentary time (ST) was assessed over seven days, alongside surveys evaluating recreational screen time, transport-related sitting time, and environmental factors such as home environments and neighbourhood features.
Home environmental factors such as access to social media accounts, strongly influenced screen time, the study said.
Dr. Ranjani Harish, Senior Scientist and Head of the Department of Preventive and Digital Health Research at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, added: “Both home and neighbourhood environments play a critical role in shaping sedentary behaviour. Urban planning, community safety, and supportive home environments collectively influence how adolescents balance their time between active and sedentary pursuits. These findings call for holistic policies to reduce sedentary time and enhance the overall health of young people worldwide.”
Many countries are already taking action to address this rising concern.
Australia has recently introduced policies banning social media use for children under 16, aiming to reduce its negative impact on adolescent health and wellbeing.
“This study underscores the importance of integrating behavioural, environmental and policy-based approaches to address the rising sedentary lifestyle among adolescents. With social media emerging as a major contributor, it is vital to focus on creating healthy digital habits and improving community infrastructure to effectively reduce sedentary time,” it said.