Are 24-hour movement recommendations associated with obesity-related indicators in the young population? A meta-analysis

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between meeting all three 24-hour movement recommendations (i.e., physical activity, sleep duration, and screen time) and obesity-related indicators among young people. Methods: Four databases were systematically searched (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library). Results: Meeting the 24-hour movement recommendations was cross-sectionally associated with lower overall obesity-related indicators (r = −0.09, 95% CI: −0.11 to −0.06), but no longitudinal association was found. Regarding each obesity-related indicator separately, meeting all three recommendations was related to lower odds of overweight/obesity (odds ratio = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.76) and obesity alone (odds ratio = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.50). An inverse relationship between meeting 24-hour movement recommendations and BMI, BMI z score, waist circumference, and body fat was also found. Regarding subgroup analysis, the association between 24-hour movement recommendations and overall obesity-related indicators was similar regardless of sex, comparison used (meeting all three vs. not meeting [i.e., those who met zero to two of the movement behaviors] or meeting all three vs. none), and type of measure to assess 24-hour movement recommendations (i.e., self-reported or accelerometer-based measures). Conclusions: Meeting all 24-hour movement recommendations may be a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy weight status in the young population.