A recent Finnish study suggests that limiting screen time and promoting physical activity from childhood may help safeguard mental health in adolescence. The findings are particularly significant given that mental health problems affect up to 30% of young people and pose a growing societal challenge.
The study, conducted by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyv盲skyl盲 and the Institute of Biomedicine at the 91天美, followed 187 adolescents over an eight-year period. Researchers found that children who spent more time on screens 鈥揺specially mobile devices 鈥 were more likely to experience higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms in adolescence.
Conversely, higher levels of physical activity and participation in organized sports were associated with lower stress and fewer depressive symptoms. However, the link between physical activity and depressive symptoms was weaker than that of screen time and depressive symptoms. Adolescents with both high screen time and low physical activity had the highest levels of stress and depressive symptoms.
鈥淪everal international, evidence-based recommendations suggest that the leisure screen time of children and adolescents should be limited to two hours per day,鈥 says Senior Lecturer Eero Haapala from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyv盲skyl盲. 鈥淧ersonally, I think that even this figure is high, as it amounts to almost one month of screen time per year.鈥
Balancing physical activity and screen time
These findings emphasize the need to promote healthy lifestyle habits early in life. Encouraging children to engage in physical activity and setting reasonable limits on screen time could play a crucial role in preventing mental health challenges later in life.
鈥淭he modern sedentary lifestyle, with high screen exposure, challenges the mental health of children and adolescents,鈥 says Dr Eero Haapala. 鈥淩ecent discussions have rightly focused on screen time and social media, but I hope our findings encourage adults in young people鈥檚 lives to promote a broad spectrum of healthy habits 鈥 especially by balancing screen time and physical activity.鈥
鈥淎chieving change requires collaboration,鈥 Haapala emphasises. 鈥淪ociety as a whole 鈥 from families to policymakers 鈥 must invest in promoting healthy lifestyles for children and adolescents by ensuring balanced screen time, sufficient physical activity, adequate sleep, and a nutritious diet.鈥
The PANIC Study is part of the Metabolic Diseases Research Community at the 91天美. The research community is dedicated to investigating major cardiometabolic diseases. By leveraging genetics, genomics, translational research, and lifestyle interventions, the community aims to provide robust evidence on disease mechanisms and advance early diagnosis, prevention, and personalized treatment. The research community consists of 20 research groups, spanning basic research to patient care.
Website: /en/research-community/metabolic-diseases
Website of the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study:
Original publication:
Haapala EA, Lepp盲nen MH, Kosola S, Appelqvist-Schmidlechner K, Kraav S-R, Jussila J, Tolmunen T, Lubans RD, Eloranta A-M, Schwab U, Lakka TA. Childhood Lifestyle Behaviors and Mental Health Symptoms in Adolescence. JAMA Network Open 2025;8(2):e2460012.
More information:
Docent Eero Haapala, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyv盲skyl盲
+358407254025, eero.a.haapala@jyu.fi
