The association between objectively measured physical activity, screen time, and cognitive function: A narrative review

Abstract

Aim. This narrative review aimed to investigate the association of objectively measured physical activity and screen time on cognitive function among young adults. Methods. We conducted searches on EBSCO and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies published in English within the last decade. The search terms included keywords such as "physical activity" or "exercise," and "screen time" or "screen exposure," along with "cognition" or "cognitive function." Results. Almost all studies conducted on older adults showed positive associations between physical activity assessed objectively using an accelerometer, screen time, and cognitive function. Conflicting results were observed between physical activity and cognitive functions in young and middle-aged adults. More studies are required to confirm the association between objectively measured physical activity and cognitive function, given the limited availability of studies. Conclusion. The overall findings of this narrative review highlight the negative impact of sedentary behavior on cognitive health, emphasizing the need to incorporate physical activity into our lifestyles to prevent future cognitive decline. Moreover, the impact of screen time and media content yielded contradictory findings on cognitive functions among different age groups, but mostly confirmed the negative effects of passive screen exposure on cognitive functions among children and adolescents. This review highlights the need for future studies to use standardized and objective methods to measure cognitive function, screen time, and media content in different populations, especially among young and middle-aged adults, to raise awareness regarding screen time.