Sedentary behavior and non-specific psychosomatic health complaints of school- aged children

Introduction
In numerous papers, it was indicated that teenagers who spend a lot of time in front of the screen can experience subjective health complaints.

The aim
The aim of the paper is to show the frequency and life style-related determinants of health complaints in adolescence.

Material and methods
The study was conducted in school year 2013/14 in the frame of international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. The nationwide sample included 2441 students with age ranging 15-16 years. Ten logistic regression models for five somatic and five mental complaints were estimated. The main independent variables were sedentary behaviours (watching TV/ films, computer games, social media and the Internet), age and gender.

Results
More often than once a week, at least one somatic complaint was reported by 55.3% and at least one mental one by 48.5% of teenagers. On average, young respondents spent 3 hours daily on the Internet and social media, 2.5 hour on watching films and 1.5 hour on playing computer games. It was indicated that the Internet and social media significantly increase the risk of all ten complaints, especially dizziness, nervousness, stomach ache and irrita¬tion. Watching TV increases the risk of six complaints while computer games could induce only two of those complaints - in both cases, the highest association with stomach ache was found.

Conclusions
Sedentary behaviours have negative impact on the well-being in adolescents. There is a need to work out the educational strategies in order to limit their screen time as well as to promote higher physical activity.