The Effect of Sociodemographic and School Affiliation Moderators on the Association Between Screen Time, Physical Activity, and Body Dissatisfaction in Brazilian Adolescent Girls

Physical activity practice and excessive screen time affect adolescent girls’ body satisfaction and body image. This study aimed to estimate the association between screen time and physical activity in relation to body dissatisfaction and body image among girls from different Brazilian regions, considering both the direct effect and the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and school affiliation. This is a cross-sectional study based on secondary data analysis. The outcomes were body dissatisfaction and body image dissatisfaction due to excessive thinness and excessive fat. Physical activity and screen time were independent variables. The moderating variables included sociodemographic characteristics and school affiliation. Direct effects were observed in active girls with a lower odds ratio (OR) of dissatisfaction due to excessive thinness (Southeast region, OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.34–0.90; South region, OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.19–0.43), whereas those with high screen times were more likely to report dissatisfaction due to excessive fat (Southeast region, OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.35–2.40; Northeast region, OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.28–3.03). Effect modification was observed based on sociodemographic characteristics and school affiliation. These behaviors were directly associated with body dissatisfaction, and age, school affiliation, skin color, and maternal education were important moderators of the relationship between physical activity and screen time.