Michael Fotheringham|Rebecca L. Wonnacott|N. Owen
Computer use and physical inactivity in young adults: Public health perils and potentials of new information technologies
Deakin University|Deakin University|University of Wollongong
physical inactivity contributes premature mortality morbidity increasing prevalences overweight obesity industrialized countries computer use increasingly common sedentary behaviour potentially displacing physical activity physical activity computer use examined 697 young adults 1830 years energy expenditure estimates derived selfreported walking moderate vigorous activity participants classified sedentary low moderate high level activity multivariate analyses two categories physical activity used inactive sedentarylow activity 800 kcalweek1 active moderatehigh activity 800 kcalweek1 time spent computerrelated activities summed computer use tertiles calculated 3 hoursweek1 38 hoursweek1 8 hoursweek1 highest tertile computer use likely inactive p 0003 likely report computer use barrier physical activity p 0001 majority top two tertiles computer use inactive preferred obtaining information computers conventional print media findings suggest computer use plays significant role discretionary time young adults negatively associated physical activity computermediated communication potential disseminating interventions increase physical activity young adults