Researchers believe that the rollout of high-speed internet access has significantly impacted people's physical activity and eating habits, consequently leading to an increase in obesity rates in various countries.
Obesity remains a serious issue for many nations around the globe, elevating the risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. In Australia, for instance, 67% of adults were classified as overweight or obese in 2023, while in the U.S., projections suggest that by 2030, this figure could rise to approximately 78%.
Primarily, obesity is linked to lifestyle changes, including poor diet and lack of physical exercise—and a new study conducted by experts from Monash University, the University of Melbourne, and RMIT University indicates that the rollout of high-speed internet may have contributed to these shifts (the data focuses exclusively on Australia).
"Access to high-speed internet decreases the likelihood that individuals will meet the minimum physical activity recommendations set by the World Health Organization," says Dr. Klaus Ackermann from the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics at Monash University.
The researchers analyzed 14 waves of longitudinal
Longitudinal methods involve studying participants over an extended period (up to several years). household surveys in Australia, alongside data regarding the rollout and implementation of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in the country—which since 2012 has progressively upgraded analog telephone internet systems, leading to a significant increase in internet connection speeds.
As a result, researchers observed an increase in the overall body mass index (BMI) of the population by 1.57 kg/m² with a 6.6% increase in NBN coverage. (BMI is an internationally recognized standard measurement of body weight relative to height; it is considered that adults with a BMI of 25-29.9 are overweight, while a BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity).
"The sedentary lifestyle caused by the need to stay connected online for longer periods decreases metabolism and contributes to obesity," says Ackermann. "This issue is compounded by the tendency to snack frequently while working on the computer, leading to higher daily calorie intake. Furthermore, the internet provides easy and quick access to numerous goods and services, reducing the need to handle these matters physically. The same applies to meeting family or friends."
At the same time, the relationship between obesity and internet use extends beyond Australia: for instance, a 2024 study found a positive correlation between BMI and internet usage among first-year students in Turkey; a 2019 review of studies from various countries, including the U.S., revealed that active internet users were 47% more likely to gain excess weight or become obese.
The study was published in the journal Economics & Human Biology.
Source: New Atlas, Monash University
Comments (0)
There are no comments for now