ESPE Abstracts

Background: Screen (TV, tablet, smartphones, internet, video games, PC etc.) addiction is a growing problem in child health. The effect on insulin-glucose metabolism is not well known yet.

Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the insulin resistance in screen addicted children.

Method: We studied 108 children and adolescents aged 13.72±1.95 years (range 11–17 years). Participants were divided into three groups according to ADHD and Computer Addiction scales (group 1: ADHD and screen addicted group 2: ADHD group 3: control group). There were an equal number of obese and non-obese cases in these three groups. Clinical assessments included insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR, auxology, blood lipids, body fat analysis. All cases wore pedometer for 3 days to measure the daily physical activity. Carbohydrates, fat and calorie intake was calculated with a nutrition program.

Results: The mean weight and BMI SDS was 1.75±2 and 1.6±1.7 respectively. Daily active energy consumption was 747±532 kcal in screen addicted group and 511±384 kcal in non-addicted group (P<0.05). Duration of physical activity was 2.6±1.7 h in computer addicted group and 1.7±1.1 h in non-addicted group (P<0.05). Mean energy intake was 2051±656 kcal in computer addicted group and 1778±536 kcal in non-addicted group (P<0,05). HOMA-IR values of the patients ranged from 0.62 to 16.46 while the average was 3.45±2.7. There was no effect of ADHD and computer addiction to the HOMA-IR values (P: 0.228). HOMA-IR value of the computer addicted non-obese ADHD cases was 1.9±0.6 whereas non addicted non-obese ADHD cases was 1.3±0.5 (P: 0.012). In order to show the effect of ADHD on HOMA-IR values, non obese ADHD cases were compared with cases without ADHD. The HOMA-IR values of ADHD cases was 1.3±0.5 while cases without ADHD was 2.7±1.9 (P: 0.006).

Conclusion: Computer addiction causes insulin resistance whereas activity decreases this effect.

Funding: Ege University Scientific Research Committee 2013-BAP-017.