Exploring the associations between play and lifestyle behaviours in adolescents in Switzerland
Abstract
Background: Play is a central behaviour in early life with direct benefits for development. Play further contributes to the organisation of daily routines with indirect consequences for health. This study examines the associations between play modalities (digital vs. analogue) and three lifestyle behaviours in adolescents: eating habits, sleep, and physical activity while considering the amount, timing, and spatial context of play.
Methods: In autumn 2025, a sample of 640 Swiss adolescents (aged 10–15 years) completed a self-administered online questionnaire at school. Associations were analysed using multivariate structural equation modelling, treating all three lifestyle behaviours simultaneously as observed variables. Both direct associations and conditional associations were estimated, including amount, timing, and spatial context of play as moderators.
Results: Compared to analogue play, digital play was associated with worse healthy eating habits (β = − .15; p = .001) and sleep quality and quantity (β = − .11; p = .027), whereas no significant association emerged with physical activity (β = − .02; p = .700). Play amount and its interaction with play modality were not significantly associated with lifestyle behaviours. Evening and nighttime play was associated with worse healthy eating habits (β = − .20; p = .001) and sleep quality and quantity (β = − .17; p = .004), independently of play modality. Outdoor play was associated with higher levels of physical activity (β = .14; p = .008), once again independently of play modality. Females reported worse lifestyle behaviours, while older adolescents reported worse eating habits. Lifestyle behaviours were positively associated among each other, except for sleep and physical activity.
Conclusion: Associations between adolescents’ play and lifestyle behaviours are not uniform but vary according to how play is embedded within daily routines. The study findings highlight the importance of considering not only play modality, but also when and where it takes place, with implications for targeted public health promotion strategies.
Related
- Associations of lifestyle, nutrition, and mixed environmental exposures with bone mineral density in U.S. children and adolescents : A dual-cohort analysis from NHANES 2017–2018
- Associations Between Lifestyle Factors and Headache in Lithuanian Adolescents
- Exploring the associations among physical activity, social adaptation, and emotional intelligence in adolescents: a network analysis study
- Effect of nursing care program on healthy lifestyle behaviours and quality of life in women with endometriosis: a randomised controlled trial
- Self-rated health and lifestyle behaviours differences in second-generation migrants and Italians: an analysis of the daily life aspects surveys in Italy, 2015–2022
BibTeX
@article{pedroni2026exploring,
title = {{Exploring the associations between play and lifestyle behaviours in adolescents in Switzerland}},
author = {Giovanna Pedroni and Anne-Linda Camerini},
journal = {BMC Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-29762-3},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1186/s12889-026-29762-3},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Exploring the associations between play and lifestyle behaviours in adolescents in Switzerland
AU - Giovanna Pedroni
AU - Anne-Linda Camerini
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - BMC Public Health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-29762-3
UR - https://link.springer.com/10.1186/s12889-026-29762-3
AB - Background: Play is a central behaviour in early life with direct benefits for development. Play further contributes to the organisation of daily routines with indirect consequences for health. This study examines the associations between play modalities (digital vs. analogue) and three lifestyle behaviours in adolescents: eating habits, sleep, and physical activity while considering the amount, timing, and spatial context of play. Methods: In autumn 2025, a sample of 640 Swiss adolescents (aged 10–15 years) completed a self-administered online questionnaire at school. Associations were analysed using multivariate structural equation modelling, treating all three lifestyle behaviours simultaneously as observed variables. Both direct associations and conditional associations were estimated, including amount, timing, and spatial context of play as moderators. Results: Compared to analogue play, digital play was associated with worse healthy eating habits (β = − .15; p = .001) and sleep quality and quantity (β = − .11; p = .027), whereas no significant association emerged with physical activity (β = − .02; p = .700). Play amount and its interaction with play modality were not significantly associated with lifestyle behaviours. Evening and nighttime play was associated with worse healthy eating habits (β = − .20; p = .001) and sleep quality and quantity (β = − .17; p = .004), independently of play modality. Outdoor play was associated with higher levels of physical activity (β = .14; p = .008), once again independently of play modality. Females reported worse lifestyle behaviours, while older adolescents reported worse eating habits. Lifestyle behaviours were positively associated among each other, except for sleep and physical activity. Conclusion: Associations between adolescents’ play and lifestyle behaviours are not uniform but vary according to how play is embedded within daily routines. The study findings highlight the importance of considering not only play modality, but also when and where it takes place, with implications for targeted public health promotion strategies.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -