Monitoring gender disparities in sedentary behavior, physical activity, and internet usage among adolescents

This study explores gender differences in physical activity and internet usage among adolescents, focusing on how prolonged screen time may impact activity levels in urban and rural areas of Tirana. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2,030 adolescents, using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) to assess activity levels and internet use. The sample included 26.8% urban females, 26.5% rural females, 23.3% urban males, and 23.4% rural males. Statistical analysis using Pearson correlation examined associations between psychosocial traits and screen time. Findings indicate that female adolescents, especially in urban areas, reported higher internet use, with 48.9% of urban and 40% of rural females exhibiting greater screen engagement. The most common internet usage ranged between 2–4 hours daily, particularly among urban females (26.6%). Rural males showed strong correlations between internet usage and traits such as Salience Trains and Excessive Use (r = 0.741), and Impatience Expectation (r = 0.659). Urban males showed strong associations between Excessive Use and Lack of Control (r = 0.631). No signs of internet dependency were identified. The study highlights the need for gender- and location-specific health strategies to address sedentary behavior, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and health professionals.