Popular high speed internet activities like bingeing on streaming platforms and online gaming could be increasing obesity rates in Australians, new research has found.

Published in Economics & Human Biology, the study, in collaboration with The University of Melbourne and RMIT University, analyzed data from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, covering the period 2006-2019, to examine the impact of access to high-speed internet on obesity.

Obesity increases a person’s risk of developing long-term health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. In 2022, almost two-thirds (65.8%) of Australian adults were overweight or obese.

Australia’s obesity epidemic is also causing a significant financial and economic impact. In 2018, obesity cost Australians $11.8 billion and is projected to cost an estimated $87.7 billion by 2032.

Senior author Dr. Klaus Ackermann, from the Monash Business School’s Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics and SoDa Labs, found that sedentary behavior and physical activity are mechanisms through which internet speed transmits to obesity.

“Access to high-speed internet connection decreases the likelihood of individuals meeting the minimum physical activity recommendation proposed by the WHO. That is, individuals become more inactive and exhibit more sedentary behavior,” Dr. Ackermann said.

“Sedentary behavior is induced by the need to stay connected online for longer hours, which leads to lower metabolic rates and contributes to obesity. This problem is elevated by the need to frequently consume snacks during computer usage, which increases the daily intake of calories that contribute to obesity.

“Further, internet usage enables ease of access to various goods and services, and therefore reduces the need to perform errands physically. The convenience of electronic communications further reduces the need to meet up with family and friends in person, which further reduces potential opportunities to engage in physical activities.

“While high-speed internet has become an essential service, this study demonstrates a strong link between increased online dependence and unhealthy sedentary behavior.”

The team found that a 1% increase in the National Broadband Network adoption rate is associated with an increase in the prevalence of obesity, specifically an overall increase of 1.57 kg/m² in BMI and a 6.6% increase in prevalence, showcasing that access to high-speed internet is associated with a decline in MET minutes, implying a decrease in the time spent on activities that enhance metabolism.

“Given that access to high-speed internet increases the prevalence of obesity through sedentary behavior, our findings suggest that policies to promote awareness of the negative implications of sedentary behavior are important,” Dr. Ackermann said.

“One avenue of suggestion could be creating awareness of the potential increase in sedentary behavior with internet access; this could motivate people to take breaks between screen time to reduce sedentary behavior and engage in physical activity to promote a healthier lifestyle.

“Such public health campaigns could encourage the need to physically engage in errands, if possible, as opposed to strictly accessing goods and services online. Further, public health campaigns that encourage short but vigorous physical activity that meets daily healthy living physical activity requirements could be useful for individuals with busy lifestyles who may only have limited time,” Dr. Ackermann concluded.