SynthesisPloS one2025
Television watching and cognitive outcomes in adults and older adults: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Impact of Different Types of Sedentary Behaviour on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2026Pooled it
- Differential associations of active and passive digital modalities with health perception biases among older adults.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Association of 24-hour movement guideline adherence with inhibitory control in older adults: the mediating role of general self-efficacy.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the association between television watching and cognitive outcomes in adults and older adults as the current evidence is inconsistent. We searched the Cochrane, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies from inception to June 30, 2024. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Dose-response and conventional meta-analyses were performed using one-stage random-effects and DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models, respectively. Our systematic review included 35 studies with 1,292,052 participants (8,572 cases of cognitive impairment), of which 28 studies were further meta-analyzed. A dose-response meta-analysis revealed a nonlinear association between time spent watching TV and an increased risk of cognitive impairment (Wald test p-value = 0.04), particularly for viewing durations of ≥4 hours per day. Additionally, watching ≥6 hours of television per day was associated with a significant decrease in cognitive score (standardized beta coefficient = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.17, -0.003; I2 = 71.8%; seven studies). Also, a longer television-watching time was associated with a lower cognitive score (pooled standardized mean difference = -0.02; 95% CI: -0.03, -0.003; I2 = 66.45%; six studies). Watching television for a longer period was associated with negative cognitive outcomes in adults and older adults. Further research is needed to confirm this association and elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.