The influence of excessive computer usage on physical activity

1. The influence of excessive computer usage on physical activity Thamar Chochua Tamar Japaridze Sofia Skliarenko

2. Background • Recent studies have shown some alarming facts about physical fitness among today's teens. • Most teens spend at least 30 hours in a week watching TV and playing computer. • Nearly fifty percent of the teens do not do any sort of physical activity on a regular basis.

3. Background • Internet and computer use are increasingly common leisure-time sedentary behaviors, which have the potential to impact negatively on health outcomes. • However, little is known about the extent to which teens’ Internet and computer use is associated with the time spent in leisure-time physical activity.

4. Research question • Do the teenagers who spend more than 3 hours with a computer have a lack of physical activity?

5. Aims • To determine how many hours an average teenager spends on computer • To determine the level of physical activity among teenagers • To examine associations of leisure-time Internet and computer usage with physical activity.

6. Significance • After completing this research we will have evidence if excessive computer usage influences the physical activity of a teenager. • The research results will give the background for further studies.

7. Study plan • The research is cross- sectional, descriptive type. • Adapted and modified International Physical Activity Questionnaire ( IPAQ) • Questionnaire consists of open and close questions

8. Modes of administration • Self –administered • mail • Interview • In-person • Telephone

9. Study population • Inclusion criteria • male or female • age - 13 –19 • having a computer • healthy • ability to cooperate • Exclusion criteria • doesn’t have a computer • pregnant

10. Study population • 35 teenagers have been interviewed using questionnaire as a study tool

11. Questionnaire • What is the date of your birth? • Gender • What is your occupation?

12. Questionnaire • How do you prefer to spend your free time? • Hang out with friends • Sit with computer • Read books • Other_

13. Questionnaire • How much time do you spend on computer? _ hours per day • How many days a week do you use a computer? _ days per week

14. Questionnaire • How do you think, does a computer affect your health in some way? • yes _ • no _

15. Questionnaire • Do you depend on computer? • I’m addicted on computer • I use it wisely • It doesn’t matter • Other____

16. Questionnaire • Think about all the vigorous activities that you did in the last 7 days. • Vigorous physical activities hard physical efforts that make you breathe harder than normal. • Think only about those physical activities that you did for at least 10 minutes at a time.

17. Questionnaire • During the last 7 days, on how many days did you do vigorous physical activities like heavy lifting, digging, aerobics, or fast bicycling? __ days per week __ hours per day __ minutes per day __ No vigorous physical activities

18. Questionnaire • Think about all the moderate activities that you did in the last 7 days. • Moderate activities -- moderate physical effort that make you breathe somewhat harder than normal. • Think only about those physical activities that you did for at least 10 minutes at a time.

19. Questionnaire • During the last 7 days, on how many days did you do moderate physical activities like carrying light loads, bicycling at a regular pace, or doubles tennis, playing football or basketball? Do not include walking.  ___ days per week ___ No moderate physical activities

20. Questionnaire • How much time did you usually spend doing moderate physical activities on one of those days? ___ hours per day ___ minutes per day   ___ Don’t know/Not sure

21. Questionnaire • Think about the time you spent walking in the last 7 days. • This includes at school and at home, walking to travel from place to place, and any other walking that you might do solely for recreation, sport, exercise, or leisure

22. Questionnaire • During the last 7 days, on how many days did you walk for at least 10 minutes at a time? ___ days per week ___ No walking

23. Questionnaire • How much time did you usually spend walking on one of those days? ___ hours per day ___ minutes per day ___ Don’t know/Not sure

24. Questionnaire • The last question is about the time you spent sitting on weekdays during the last 7 days. • Include time spent at school, at home, while doing course work and during leisure time. This may include time spent sitting at a computer, visiting friends, reading, or sitting or lying down to watch television

25. Questionnaire • During the last 7 days, how much time did you spend sitting on a week day?  __ hours per day __ minutes per day __ Don’t know/Not sure

26. Data analyses • Data analyses has been performed using SPSS • Independent variable – hours spent on computer • Dependant variable – physical activity, Time spent sitting

27. Results

28. Data analyses • Results: There is no correlation between excessive usage of computer and physical activity r= -.038 p >.05

29. Conclusion • Leisure-time physical activity levels were largely independent of computer use.