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

Abstract 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.