Video game playing time and cardiometabolic risk in adolescents: the AFINOS study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the association of video games playing time with cardiometabolic risk biomarkers in adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This study comprised 181 adolescents (88 girls), aged 13- to 17 years old. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was measured by accelerometry, and video game playing time in computer and console was self-reported. Waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (BP) and diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and apolipoproteins A-1 and B-100 were measured. RESULTS Computer games use was not significantly associated with any biomarker (P>0.1) but the time spent using console games was positively associated with diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, triglycerides, and a clustered cardiometabolic risk score. These results were independent of age, sex, pubertal stage, MVPA, and WC. CONCLUSION These results support some evidence regarding a plausible unfavorable role of playing (console) video games on cardiometabolic health in adolescence.