Factors Associated With Communication-Based Sedentary Behaviors Among Youth: Are Talking on the Phone, Texting, and Instant Messaging New Sedentary Behaviors to be Concerned About?

Purpose: Sedentary behavior research typically only examines screen time activities and not communication time activities, such as talking on the phone, texting, or instant messaging. Methods: Data from 2,449 grade 5 to 8 students were used to examine factors associated with the time youth spent in communication-based sedentary behaviors. Results: Screen time, physical activity, grade, and gender were associated with moderate and high communication time. Discussion: Future research on sedentary behavior should include measures of communication time. (C) 2010 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.