The role of lifestyle factors, biological sex, and racial identity for (visually induced) motion sickness susceptibility: Insights from an online survey

Abstract

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. Here, 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 roles 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. Methods 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.