Daily Screen Time Research Articles

Impact of eyesight, BMI, and the use of screen-based devices on mental well-being.

To observe any association between mental health and potential contributors, i.e., BMI, eyesight, and number of screen-based devices in young adults. The study proceeded after obtaining the necessary ethical approval (Ref. # 689/ERC/CMH/LMC) from the institutional ERC at CMH LMC & IOD. It was a cross-sectional study, conducted with undergraduate students aged 16-25 years from June to September 2022 at Department of Physiology at CMH Lahore Medical College and Institute of Dentistry. Those who had any history of using CNS stimulants or depressants were excluded from the study. The data was collected via a pre-designed, validated questionnaire. Sample t-test, single tail one-way ANOVA, and post-hoc Tukey's test were used for statistical analysis, ensuring a 95% confidence interval. A non-significant percentage increase in mental well-being (MWB) score of 7.09% was found in males (p=0.142). No significant difference was observed in MBW scores and BMI (p=0.129), however, underweights showed the minimum scores (38.8±7.1). In all eyesight groups, no significant difference was noticed in MBW scores (p=0.316), though those who collectively present with hyperopia and myopia expressed minimum scores (35.4±9.8). The use of different screen-based devices showed a significant association with mental health (p=0.041), while the lowest MBW scores were found in those who were using only smartphones (38.9±8.0). There was no discernible difference in MWB for daily screen time. Students who used only smartphones had significantly lower MWB scores than those who used smartphones and laptops. The study found low MWB scores among underweight individuals and those who were with both eye-sight issues i.e. myopia as well as hyperopia.

An Online Resource for Monitoring 24-Hour Activity in Children and Adolescents: Observational Analysis.

The Singapore integrated 24-hour activity guide for children and adolescents was introduced to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, and diet, to enhance metabolic health and prevent noncommunicable diseases. To support the dissemination and implementation of these recommendations, a user-friendly online resource was created to help children and adolescents adopt these behaviors in Singapore. This study aimed to assess the acceptability of the online resource in the adoption of healthier lifestyle behaviors, and the change in the users' behaviors with the use of this online resource. Participants aged 7-17 years were required to log their activity levels of the past 7 days at the beginning and at the end of a 3-month period using the browser-based online resource, including information on the duration and frequency of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), length of sedentary behavior, duration and regularity of sleep, and food portions. User satisfaction, on the length, ease of use, and relevance of the online resource, was also recorded using a 10-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and statistical analyses, including the Wilcoxon signed rank test and McNemar test, were carried out at baseline and at the end of 3 months. A total of 46 participants were included for analysis. For physical activity, the number of days of MVPA increased from a median of 3 (IQR 2-5) days to 4 (IQR 2-5) days (P=.01). For sedentary behavior, the median daily average screen time decreased from 106 (IQR 60-142.5) minutes to 90 (IQR 60-185) minutes. For sleep, 10% (5/46) more participants met the recommended duration, and the number of days with regular sleep increased from a median of 6 (IQR 5-7) days to 7 (IQR 5-7) days (P=.03). For diet, there was a decrease in the portion of carbohydrates consumed from a median of 42% (IQR 30-50) to 40% (IQR 30-48.5; P=.03), and the number of days of water and unsweetened beverage consumption remained stable at a median of 5 days but with a higher IQR of 4-7 days (P=.04). About 90% (39-41/46) of the participants reported that the online resource was relevant and easy to use, and the rating for user satisfaction remained favorable at a median of 8 with a higher IQR of 7-9 (P=.005). The findings support the development of a dedicated online resource to assist the implementation of healthy lifestyle behaviors based on the Singapore integrated 24-hour activity guide for children and adolescents. This resource received favorable ratings and its use showed the adoption of healthier behaviors, including increased physical activity and sleep, as well as decreased sedentary time and carbohydrate consumption, at the end of a 3-month period.

Digital Screen Usage Amongst Doctors: Demographics, Patterns of Use and Effect of Health Parameters

Background: Advances in digital technology have led to widespread availability of digital devices and consequent increased usage amongst across the population including practising healthcare professionals. Increased ‘Digital Screen time’ and its effect on physical, psychological health, and sleep patterns has been predominantly evaluated in children, adolescents and adults from various walks of life. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the impact of Digital Screen usage (time and patterns) spent on portable and desktop digital devices amongst physicians, surgeons and radiologists. Material & Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of an 11-part questionnaire (multiple choice questions and free text box) was circulated amongst orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists and physicians in India and the UK, to evaluate demographics, speciality and place of practice; Digital platform usage reasons and time; effect on mental health, physical health, sleep time amongst practising healthcare professionals. Results: There was an even spread amongst the various age groups. Smartphones were the commonest device utilised for digital screening in 90 (67.7%) doctors with 29 (38.5%) of doctors reporting more than five hours of daily screen time. Sixty-three (47%) of doctors used this for academic purposes, whereas 43 (32%) used it for entertainment more than for academic purposes. Thirty-nine doctors (29%) were unaware of whether screen usage affected mental health. Seventy-two (53%) were of the opinion that screen usage was having a negative effect on their physical health whilst 81 (60%) thought that it was having an adverse effect on their sleeping time respectively. Conclusion: A significant proportion of doctors appear to be using digital devices beyond the recommended ‘Digital Screen time’ by various national or international healthcare organisations. There is an emerging need to highlight the deleterious effect of excessive ‘Digital Screen time’ on various health parameters and be part of a global health narrative to mitigate ill-effects and a sustainable lifestyle.

Myopia Progression in Children: A Comparative Analysis of Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Periods

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant changes in children's lifestyles, including increased screen time and reduced outdoor activities due to school closures and lockdowns. These changes raised concerns about potential myopia progression in children. Methods: This study compared the spherical equivalent (SE) measurements of children aged 8-17 years from two time visits: one before the pandemic (September 2019 - February 2020) and one during the pandemic (March 2020 - February 2022). Data on family history of myopia, screen time, and outdoor activities were also collected. Paired t-tests were used to analyze the differences in SE between the two visits. Results: A total of 11 children participated in the study. The mean change in SE was -1.55 D, indicating a significant increase in myopia during the pandemic (p = 0.046). The average daily screen time was 201 minutes, while outdoor activity time was 42 minutes. Conclusion: The findings suggest a potential corelation between increased screen time, reduced outdoor activities, and myopia progression in children during the pandemic. It is crucial to encourage healthy visual habits, including limiting screen time and promoting outdoor activities, to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on children's vision.

Early Childhood Education and Care Attendance and Its Association With Outdoor Play, Screen Time and Sleep Duration of Young Children: Findings From the CHAT Trial in Australia.

Effects of attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) on health behaviours of young children remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether ECEC attendance was associated with outdoor play, screen time, sleep duration and family demographics of children aged 2 and 3 years. Secondary analysis was conducted using data extracted from two linked trials conducted in Australia, 2017-2020. Telephone surveys were conducted with participating mothers for data collection. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were built to investigate the associations of ECEC attendance with outdoor play, screen time, sleep duration and family demographics among young children. At ages 2 and 3 years, 797 and 537 mothers completed surveys, respectively. Of respondents, 65% and 72% of children attended ECEC, respectively. Children who attended ECEC had 17 min (95% CI 3.8-30.5) and 28 min (95% CI 14.1-41.9) more daily outdoor playtime and had 13 min (95% CI 4.0-21.5) and 19 min (95% CI 6.4-30.7) less daily screen time at home at 2 and 3 years, respectively. Although ECEC attendance was not associated with sleep duration, children who attended ECEC were more likely to meet all three recommendations (outdoor play, screen time and sleep) with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.84 (95% CI 1.24-2.72) at age 2 and AOR 2.34 (95% CI 1.28-4.28) at age 3. Mothers who were employed, first-time mothers, spoke English at home or had a high household income were more likely to use ECEC services. ECEC services may hold promise to influence outdoor play and screen time among young children. Children from lower socio-demographic background had a lower rate of ECEC attendance. Future health promotion programmes for young children need to also consider children who do not attend ECEC.

The impact of parental migration on screen exposure among children aged 1–66 months in rural China

BackgroundScreen exposure, particularly recreational screen exposure, is an integral part of children’s lives. However, little is known about how family factors influence children’s excessive screen exposure, especially in the context of 69 million left-behind children experiencing parent–child separation in China. This study mainly concentrates on the correlation between parental migration, type of caregiver, depression and disciplinary practices of the caregiver and children’s screen exposure, including average daily screen time (on weekdays or weekends) and screen content (recreational activities or learning activities).MethodsFor a cross-sectional study, we collected data of family basic features, parental migration status and children’s screen use in the past week from caregivers of 1,592 children aged 1–66 months in Anhui province. Children were classified into left-behind children (LBC), previously left-behind children (PLBC) and never left-behind children (NLBC) based on their parental migration. Multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression were used to identified the association between family factors and children’s screen exposure.ResultsOverall, PLBC had higher rates of screen exposure, as well as higher average daily exposure times, than NLBC and LBC. The results of logistic regression showed that PLBC had a higher likelihood of excessive screen use compared to NLBC (60 min/day, OR = 1.40, p < 0.05; 120 min/day, OR = 1.76, p < 0.05). The higher the score of disciplinary practices, the less time children spent on screens for entertainment (B = -3.37, p < 0.01).ConclusionsOur findings provide insights into the risks of children’s screen exposure in different contexts of parental migration. The study emphasizes the urgent need to pay attention to PLBC’s screen use and to strengthen caregivers’ discipline and supervision over children’s screen exposure.

Does Screen Time Do More Damage in Boys Than Girls?

Background Technological progress, particularly accelerated by the recent pandemic, has led to the digitalization of many aspects of daily life. Consequently, children are increasingly exposed to screen time, raising concerns about its potential impact on early development. Methods Four separate questionnaires were developed for different age groups (12-18 months, 19-30 months, 31-48 months, and 49-72 months). Data were collected over a two-month period from three major pediatric facilities, and social media platforms were also utilized to reach participants. The total sample size consisted of 5,137 children. Results Exposure to active screen time was found to increase the risk of expressive language delay, with a significant correlation identified between early screen time exposure and expressive language delay. In the 12-18 months age group, the OR was 1.52 (p = 0.008, χ²(1) = 7.08, p = 0.008), while in the 19-30 months age group, the OR was 1.79 (p = 0.0002; χ²(1) = 14.30, p < 0.001). Conclusions This study provides significant insights into the complex relationship between screen time exposure and expressive language development in young children. Our findings reveal that early screen time exposure is associated with a higher risk of expressive language delay. The data suggest that children aged 12-30 months are especially vulnerable. However, we cannot definitively state that the amount of average daily screen time is significantly changing the outcome. Conversely, we also found that a lack of screen time exposure may be associated with an increased risk of language delay in children aged 31-48 months, highlighting the nuanced role of screen time in child development. Parental supervision is a critical factor; however, our study indicates that higher levels of supervision do not consistently mitigate the risks associated with screen time across all age groups. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying factors contributing to the observed differences in susceptibility to expressive language delay among genders and to examine the long-term impacts of early screen exposure. By understanding these dynamics, we can better support children's developmental needs in an increasingly screen-saturated environment.

Smartphone Screen Time Characteristics in People With Suicidal Thoughts: Retrospective Observational Data Analysis Study.

Smartphone-based monitoring in natural settings provides opportunities to monitor mental health behaviors, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To date, most suicidal thoughts and behaviors research using smartphones has primarily relied on collecting so-called "active" data, requiring participants to engage by completing surveys. Data collected passively from smartphone sensors and logs may offer an objectively measured representation of an individual's behavior, including smartphone screen time. This study aims to present methods for identifying screen-on bouts and deriving screen time characteristics from passively collected smartphone state logs and to estimate daily smartphone screen time in people with suicidal thinking, providing a more reliable alternative to traditional self-report. Participants (N=126; median age 22, IQR 16-33 years) installed the Beiwe app (Harvard University) on their smartphones, which passively collected phone state logs for up to 6 months after discharge from an inpatient psychiatric unit (adolescents) or emergency department visit (adults). We derived daily screen time measures from these logs, including screen-on time, screen-on bout duration, screen-off bout duration, and screen-on bout count. We estimated the mean of these measures across age subgroups (adults and adolescents), phone operating systems (Android and iOS), and monitoring stages after the discharge (first 4 weeks vs subsequent weeks). We evaluated the sensitivity of daily screen time measures to changes in the parameters of the screen-on bout identification method. Additionally, we estimated the impact of a daylight time change on minute-level screen time using function-on-scalar generalized linear mixed-effects regression. The median monitoring period was 169 (IQR 42-169) days. For adolescents and adults, mean daily screen-on time was 254.6 (95% CI 231.4-277.7) and 271.0 (95% CI 252.2-289.8) minutes, mean daily screen-on bout duration was 4.233 (95% CI 3.565-4.902) and 4.998 (95% CI 4.455-5.541) minutes, mean daily screen-off bout duration was 25.90 (95% CI 20.09-31.71) and 26.90 (95% CI 22.18-31.66) minutes, and mean daily screen-on bout count (natural logarithm transformed) was 4.192 (95% CI 4.041-4.343) and 4.090 (95% CI 3.968-4.213), respectively; there were no significant differences between smartphone operating systems (all P values were >.05). The daily measures were not significantly different for the first 4 weeks compared to the fifth week onward (all P values were >.05), except average screen-on bout in adults (P value = .018). Our sensitivity analysis indicated that in the screen-on bout identification method, the cap on an individual screen-on bout duration has a substantial effect on the resulting daily screen time measures. We observed time windows with a statistically significant effect of daylight time change on screen-on time (based on 95% joint confidence intervals bands), plausibly attributable to sleep time adjustments related to clock changes. Passively collected phone logs offer an alternative to self-report measures for studying smartphone screen time characteristics in people with suicidal thinking. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of this approach, opening doors for further research on the associations between daily screen time, mental health, and other factors.

Correlation between screen time and physical activity to student’s physical fitness

The development of electronic media may increase screen time (ST) duration, cause students to develop sedentary habits, and decrease their physical activity (PA). Lately, this has been thought to be the cause of the problem of low physical fitness (PF) among students. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between screen time, physical activity, and students' physical fitness. The design of this study was correlational, with a total of 88 subjects in grades 4 and 5 at Primary Laboratoy School (Labschool) Unesa 1. The sampling technique was simple random sampling. Nusantara students' physical fitness test (TKPN) was employed to assessed physical fitness, screen time-based sedentary behaviour questionnaire to assessed sedentary behaviour, and physical activity questionnaires for older children to assessed physical activity level. Data were collected in alignment with the physical education schedule for each class. Multinomial logistic regression was employed for data analysis. Findings revealed a significant simultaneous correlation among sedentary time (ST), physical activity (PA), and physical fitness (PF) (p = 0.017). However, partial analysis indicated no significant correlation between ST and PF (p = 0.517), while PA demonstrated a significant correlation with PF (p = 0.013). The results of the descriptive analysis showed that 73.9% of participants had very poor levels of physical fitness, and 43.18% of participants had low physical activity levels, with an average daily screen time duration of 3.03 hours. Participants accessed electronic media mostly to play games on smartphones, with an average of 2.28 hours. This study concluded that screen time was not directly affecting physical fitness but could reduce physical activity and student fitness. Despite screen time having no direct impact on physical fitness, this study recommends continuing to monitor screen time duration and increasing physical activity levels to mitigate potential risks associated with excessive screen use.

Passive sensing of smartphone use, physical activity and sedentary behavior among adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The research that links excessive screen time to adverse health outcomes is based on self-reported screen use. Few studies have documented how passively-sensed smartphone and app use relate to health behaviors like activity and sitting. Furthermore, they have not considered that daily fluctuations in smartphone/app use may have different relationships to these behaviors than a person's usual smartphone/app use. This study evaluated whether physical activity or sedentary (sitting) behavior are associated with either smartphone screen time or specific smartphone app use by adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents and young adults aged 13-29 years wore activPAL4 micro activity monitors while their smartphones logged daily screen time and app use durations for nine days. Data were collected in 2020-2021 and analyzed in 2022-2023. Participants (N = 125) had a mean (SD) age of 19.7 (4.3) years. Participants' usual smartphone screen time was negatively associated with daily step counts. Daily deviations in smartphone screen time were negatively associated with daily step counts and moderate-vigorous physical activity durations. Time spent on Instagram, YouTube and, to a lesser extent, TikTok were linked with reduced activity levels. Daily sedentary behavior was not associated with usual or daily screen time. Interventions to promote physical activity during the transition into adulthood may benefit from limiting excessive smartphone screen time. Specific intervention targets could include limiting use of apps with infinite scrolling feeds algorithmically tuned to maintain user engagement, such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Do Children's Health Behaviors Buffer the Impact of Cumulative Environmental Stress on Emerging Cardiometabolic Risk?

Previous studies have found that exposure to childhood environmental stress is associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, it is not known whether individual health behaviors disrupt this relationship. This study prospectively evaluated the relationship between cumulative environmental stress in a low-income sample and cardiometabolic risk in middle childhood and examined whether child health behaviors attenuated this relationship. In a cohort of children (n=338; 57% Hispanic children; 25% Black children), environmental stressors (family and neighborhood factors representing disadvantage/deprivation) and child health behaviors (accelerometry measured physical activity; parent-reported screen time and diet recalls) were measured over 5 time points beginning when children were aged 2 to 4 years and ending when they were aged 7 to 11 years. Children's cardiometabolic risk factors (body mass index, blood pressure, triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein ratio, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, C-reactive protein) were measured at 7 to 11 years. Emerging cardiometabolic risk was defined as having ≥1 elevations that exceeded clinical thresholds. In adjusted path analyses, greater cumulative environmental stress was associated with higher likelihood of emerging cardiometabolic risk in middle childhood (P<0.001). Higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity and fewer sedentary minutes attenuated the positive relationship between stress and cardiometabolic risk (P<0.05). Children with >2 hours of average daily screen time had a higher likelihood of elevated cardiometabolic risk (P<0.01), but screen time did not moderate the stress-cardiometabolic risk relationship. Dietary intake was not related to cardiometabolic risk. Interventions that promote moderate to vigorous physical activity and limit sedentary behavior may have particular importance for the cardiometabolic health of children exposed to high levels of cumulative environmental stress.

Screen Time and its Determinants in Infants and Toddlers: Results from a Metropolitan Area of Istanbul

Objective: This cross sectional study aimed to assess screen time and associated factors in infants and toddlers under the age of 3 years in a metropolitan area. Method: Data were collected from 269 mothers registered in a family health center using a questionnaire. The questionnaire examines the demographic characteristics of families, the time spent by infants and toddlers with screen devices, and factors that may affect screen time, such as income status, education level and resources. Results: Three-quarters of infants and toddlers in this sample used screen devices (n=202, 75.1%). Total screen time ranged from 20 to 270 min/day, with a mean of 101.8±56.2 min/day. Infants and toddlers spent an average of 71.9 min/day watching television, 63.1 min/day using tablets, and 36.85 min/day using mobile phones. Total daily screen time exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations in 36.3% of infants aged 0-12 months, 84.3% of toddlers aged 13-24 months, and 49.4% of toddlers aged 25-36 months. Age of infant and toddler, maternal education level, and family income were identified as factors associated with risky screen exposure. Conclusion: Families can be educated about the potential consequences of screen time and strategies to reduce screen use. In trainings, families in the risk group should be given priority in terms of factors affecting screen time such as income status, education level and age.

Socio-demographic and other factors contributing to excessive leisure screen time in preadolescent children.

Excessive screen use in early school age is associated with worsened health habits and negative child development in later age. We aimed to assess the time spent on modern and traditional screen-based devices and examine its associations with socio-demographic characteristics. This population-based cross-sectional observation study was conducted in Czechia, Slovakia and Finland between April and June 2021. Participants (N = 1,915) were parents/caregivers of children attending elementary school grades 1 to 3, selected by stratified random sampling. Children's daily leisure screen time (LST) based on parental reports was the main outcome. Descriptive statistics, mean comparison and linear regression analysis were used for the analysis. The average daily LST was found to be as high as 3.5 hours and significantly associated with most socio-demographic variables. Eighty percent of children exceeded the threshold of two hours of LST per day, which was formerly introduced by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The most important predictor of LST in children was having their screen-based device(s) for their exclusive personal use (EPU). Linear regression with all predictors assessed together confirmed the significant effect of the screen-based devices' EPU, the child's sex and grade, the child's birth order and the parent's education, even when controlled for media parenting practices. Given the widespread availability of smartphones for exclusive personal use among young children, the regulation of EPU and the reinforcement of effective media parenting practices, particularly in families with lower education and income, are critical public health strategies to mitigate the negative impact of excessive screen time on child development and overall well-being.

Adherence to physical activity and screen time recommendations of youth: Demographic differences from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018.

Engaging in physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviors among youth are linked to improved mental and physical health. This study aimed to examine demographic differences among youth adhering to PA and Screen Time (ST) recommendations. The present study utilized data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The NHANES survey employed a cross-sectional design and gathered information on the daily duration of moderate-to-vigorous PA lasting 60min or more, as well as the maximum daily ST not exceeding 2h. The analysis encompassed a total of 1697 youth aged between 6 and 17years. Overall, 36.3% of participants adhered to PA recommendations, 20.9% adhered to ST recommendations and 10.8% of youth met both recommendations. The odds of meeting PA, ST and both recommendations were inversely associated with obesity (obese vs. normal: aOR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.42-0.75]), (aOR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.48-0.94]) and (aOR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.32-0.82]) respectively, and age (14-17years vs. 6-9years: aOR, 0.2 [95% CI, 0.15-0.27]), (aOR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.23-0.47]) and (aOR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.09-0.3]) respectively. A small portion of the youth met PA and ST recommendations. Older youth, youth with obesity, and youth with a parent or guardian who had not completed a high school education were particularly at risk.

Impact of Elevated Screen Time on School-Age Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analytical Study.

The rise in digital technology use, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has heightened concerns about extended "screen time" (ST) among adolescents. Excessive screen use is linked to negative physical and cognitive effects, yet digital media also offers educational and social advantages. Cultivating healthy digital habits is crucial as technology continues to evolve. Thiscross-sectional studywas conducted betweenJuly and August 2022 amongschool-going adolescents and a total of 221 participants were assessed through questionnaires, employing statistical analysis. In the current study, all participants fell within the 16-18 year age group, with 114 (51.6%) being male and 107 (48.4%) female. The majority 209 (94.5%) identified as Hindu, while the rest were from Muslim and Christian communities. Most participants, both male and female, resided in urban areas, 140 (63.3%) were pursuing Class 12, and73 (33.1%) were pursuing Class 11. Mobile phones were the most commonly owned devices, followed by desktops or laptops and tablets. Males generally spend more time on these devices than females. Notably, 168 (76.01%) adolescents exceeded the recommended 2-hour daily screen time limit set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with92 (80.7%) males more likely to do so than 76 (71%) females. The study found a significant link between increased screen time, reduced physical activity, and academic performance, while no association was observed for behavioral risk factors. There is increased digital device use among youth, with many exceeding recommended screen time limits, particularly males. This was significantly linked to reduced physical activity and academic decline, highlighting the need for further research and balanced digital use.

Study on the relationship and related factors between physical fitness and health behavior of preschool children in southwest China

ObjectiveTo investigate the physical fitness level and health behavior status of preschool children in China, explore the relationship between physical fitness and health behavior, and further reveal the main factors affecting health behavior, to provide a reference for improving the physical fitness level of preschool children and maintaining healthy behavior.MethodsA total of 755 preschool children (394 boys and 361 girls, aged 4.52 ± 1.11 years) were selected from Chongqing and Liupanshui in China by cluster random sampling method for questionnaire survey and physical monitoring, and SPSS21.0 software was used to process and analyze the data.Results(1) Heart rate (p = 0.015), protein content (p < 0.001), and time spent on the balance beam (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in boys than in girls, while BMI (p = 0.012), muscle mass (p < 0.001), and distance of standing long jump (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in boys than in girls. Meanwhile, systolic blood pressure (p = 0.004) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.001) of rural children were significantly higher than those of urban children, while BMI (p < 0.001) and sitting forward flexion (p = 0.019) were significantly lower than those of urban children. (2) The light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of boys were significantly higher than that of girls (p < 0.001), and the MVPA of urban children was significantly higher than that of rural children (p = 0.001), and the former participated in sports classes more frequently (p < 0.001). (3) There was a significant correlation between physical activity (PA) and physical fitness indicators of preschoolers. Participating in sports interest classes was only significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.08) and sitting forward flexion (r = 0.09). (4) The PA level of preschool children was related to gender, household registration, kindergarten nature, age, residence environment, parental support, and participation degree. Participation in sports interest classes was related to gender, the nature of the kindergarten, household registration, age, and parent participation. Daily screen time was related to household registration, the nature of the kindergarten, the environment of residence, and the value perception of parents.ConclusionsThere were different degrees of correlation between preschool children’s physical fitness and health behaviors, and children’s health behaviors were closely related to gender, environment, parents, and other factors. Therefore, how to increase the protective factors of children’s health behaviors and controlling the risk factors may be crucial to promoting the development of good health behaviors and improving the physical fitness of preschool children.

Individual and contextual determinants associated with traumatic dental injuries in children eight to ten years of age: a multilevel analysis.

Investigate individual and contextual determinants associated with traumatic dental injuries in schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study with 739 pairs of parents and children. Parents answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale and a questionnaire on the child's use of electronic devices. Examinations of the children were conducted at the school by calibrated examiners using the diagnostic criteria proposed by Andreasen. Contextual variables of the school were also collected. Multilevel Poisson regression for complex samples was performed (p < 0.05). The individual factors associated with the outcome were children of single parents (PR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.79-2.66), practice of sports (PR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.70-3.22), the daily use of electronic devices (PR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.31-1.81), more than 2 h per day of screen time (PR = 3.84; 95% CI: 1.94-4.28) and chaotic family adaptability (PR = 4.22; 95% CI: 3.44-4.99). The contextual variables were studying at a public school (PR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.02-3.05) and the presence of rigid floor in the school courtyard (PR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.15-3.15). Individual determinants, studying at a public school and the presence of rigid floor in the school courtyard were associated with traumatic dental.

Media use and attitudes towards screens in children aged 36-72 months; a cross-sectional, descriptive study.

Introduction: The age at which children are introduced to media devices is becoming increasingly earlier. Studies regarding the media habits of young children have gained importance. The aim of the study was to describe the screen media habits (age of introduction media, time spend with screen, popular choices) of preschool children and to explore their relationship with household characteristics. Population and methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study; the parents of children aged 36-72 months who attended childcare centers in Kayseri, a central Anatolian city in Türkiye, completed a questionnaire on media habits of families and children. Results: There were 858 questionaires included. The proportion of children using screen media more than 2 h/day was 28%; 36% of children were introduced to media devices before the age of two. The most frequently used media tool was television (95%) and the program watched was cartoons for TV (86.7%). Children of highly educated parents had shorter TV, computer and smartphone screen time (p = 0.012, p = 0.007, p <0.01 for mother and p = 0.049, p = 0.032, p = 0.04 for father respectively). Introducing books in the first 6 months was associated with shorter daily screen time (p = 0.011, p = 0.009, p = 0.002 for TV, computer and smartphone ,respectively). Parent's time spent on TV was positively correlated with children's time spent on TV (p <0.05, r = 0.354). Conclusion: Parents' education levels, parents' screen time and introducing book in early age was related to children's media habits. Comprehensive studies are needed to explain this relationship more clearly.

Sociodemographic differences in recreational screen time before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Over the last several years, recreational screen time has been increasing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, recreational screen time rose among Canadian youth and adults, and those who increased screen time had poorer self-reported mental health compared with those who decreased or maintained their recreational screen time levels. Using data from the 2017, 2018, and 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey, the prevalence of meeting the recreational screen time recommendation from the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines was compared before and during the pandemic across sociodemographic groups. Logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic groups that were more likely to meet the recreational screen time recommendation before and during the pandemic. The amount of time Canadians spent engaging in daily recreational screen time increased from 2018 to 2021, leading to fewer youth and adults meeting the recreational screen time recommendation during the pandemic compared with before. The prevalence of meeting the recommendation was lower during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic among almost all sociodemographic groups. Among youth, living in a rural area was associated with a greater likelihood of meeting the recommendation before and during the pandemic. Among adults, the following characteristics were all associated with a greater likelihood of meeting the recommendation during the pandemic: being female; living in a rural area or a small population centre; identifying as South Asian; being an immigrant to Canada; living in a two-parent household; being married or in a common-law relationship or widowed, separated, or divorced; working full time; and being a health care worker. The prevalence of meeting the recreational screen time recommendation during the pandemic was lower overall compared with before the pandemic. Several sociodemographic groups were more likely to meet the recommendation during the pandemic. Continued surveillance of recreational screen time is necessary to monitor the indirect effects of the pandemic and to identify population subgroups that would benefit from tailored interventions in the pandemic recovery period.

The impact of the world’s first regulatory, multi-setting intervention on sedentary behaviour among children and adolescents (ENERGISE): a natural experiment evaluation

BackgroundRegulatory actions are increasingly used to tackle issues such as excessive alcohol or sugar intake, but such actions to reduce sedentary behaviour remain scarce. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on sedentary behaviour call for system-wide policies. The Chinese government introduced the world’s first nation-wide multi-setting regulation on multiple types of sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents in July 2021. This regulation restricts when (and for how long) online gaming businesses can provide access to pupils; the amount of homework teachers can assign to pupils according to their year groups; and when tutoring businesses can provide lessons to pupils. We evaluated the effect of this regulation on sedentary behaviour safeguarding pupils.MethodsWith a natural experiment evaluation design, we used representative surveillance data from 9- to 18-year-old pupils before and after the introduction of the regulation, for longitudinal (n = 7,054, matched individuals, primary analysis) and repeated cross-sectional (n = 99,947, exploratory analysis) analyses. We analysed pre-post differences for self-reported sedentary behaviour outcomes (total sedentary behaviour time, screen viewing time, electronic device use time, homework time, and out-of-campus learning time) using multilevel models, and explored differences by sex, education stage, residency, and baseline weight status.ResultsLongitudinal analyses indicated that pupils had reduced their mean total daily sedentary behaviour time by 13.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -15.9 to -11.7%, approximately 46 min) and were 1.20 times as likely to meet international daily screen time recommendations (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.32) one month after the introduction of the regulation compared to the reference group (before its introduction). They were on average 2.79 times as likely to meet the regulatory requirement on homework time (95% CI: 2.47 to 3.14) than the reference group and reduced their daily total screen-viewing time by 6.4% (95% CI: -9.6 to -3.3%, approximately 10 min). The positive effects were more pronounced among high-risk groups (secondary school and urban pupils who generally spend more time in sedentary behaviour) than in low-risk groups (primary school and rural pupils who generally spend less time in sedentary behaviour). The exploratory analyses showed comparable findings.ConclusionsThis regulatory intervention has been effective in reducing total and specific types of sedentary behaviour among Chinese children and adolescents, with the potential to reduce health inequalities. International researchers and policy makers may explore the feasibility and acceptability of implementing regulatory interventions on sedentary behaviour elsewhere.