The role of lifestyle factors, biological sex, and racial identity for (visually induced) motion sickness susceptibility: Insights from an online survey
Narmada Umatheva, Frank Russo, Behrang Keshavarz · Displays · 2024
Motion sickness (MS) and visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) are common side-effects when travelling or when using visual devices, respectively. A variety of individual factors may determine one’s susceptibility to MS/VIMS. The role of lifestyle factors including video-game usage, physical activity, diet, and substance use on self-reported susceptibility to MS/VIMS was investigated. Additionally, the role of biological sex and racial identity on the overall prevalence of MS/VIMS were analyzed. A total of 711 responses to an online survey were collected from adults between the ages of 17-49 years. Method of analyses included correlations, comparison tests, and multiple regressions. The results showed that overall, VIMS is a prevalent issue for most participants, with approximately 24% of users reporting nausea at least sometimes when using visual displays. Although some lifestyle factors (video game usage, assorted dietary elements) were identified as potentially relevant for MS/VIMS susceptibility, these factors only explained a minimal amount of the variance in MS/VIMS susceptibility. Significant sex differences were found, with female participants reporting higher susceptibility for MS/VIMS than male participants. Additionally, East Asians participants reported higher MS susceptibility. Our findings do not suggest that lifestyle factors are prominent predictors for the susceptibility of VIMS and MS.