Original article
Combined Influence of Physical Activity and Screen Time Recommendations on Childhood Overweight

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.02.042Get rights and content

Objectives

To examine the combined influence of physical activity and screen time (television and video games) on the odds of being overweight and to evaluate the utility of current public policy recommendations.

Study design

Physical activity was assessed by a pedometer and screen time was assessed by survey in a sample of 709 children age 7 to 12 years. The percentage of subjects meeting current physical activity and screen time recommendations was calculated. Cross-tabulated physical activity–screen time groups were formed depending on whether or not the children were meeting current recommendations. Logistic regression was used to examine the influence of physical activity and screen time on the odds of being overweight.

Results

Children meeting physical activity and screen time recommendations were the least likely to be overweight. Approximately 10% of the boys and 20% of the girls meeting both recommendations were overweight, compared with 35% to 40% of those who did not meet either recommendation. Screen time and physical activity appeared to be equivalent risk factors for boys, even though physical activity in girls was more strongly associated with body mass index.

Conclusions

Children not meeting the physical activity or screen time recommendations were 3 to 4 times more likely to be overweight than those complying with both recommendations.

Section snippets

Subjects

The subjects were from public elementary schools in 2 midwestern communities (4 schools in Lakeville, Minnesota and 6 schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) involved in a community-, school-, and family-based childhood overweight and obesity intervention known as SWITCH. The data were collected before the subjects' knowledge of randomization into control or treatment groups (eg, baseline); thus, the study can be considered a cross-sectional, observational study design. Before study initiation, the

Results

Descriptive statistics for physical characteristics, physical activity, and screen time are reported in Table I. For both boys and girls, the mean standing height approximated the 50th percentile for age- and sex-specific reference values, and mean body mass and BMI approximated the 75th percentile for age- and sex-specific reference values.21 No significant sex-based differences in age, height, body mass, BMI, or the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity were seen. Approximately 24% of

Discussion

The present study has considered the simultaneous influence of 2 key risk factors for childhood overweight using established public health recommendations. We found that children not meeting the physical activity or screen time recommendations were 3 to 4 times more likely to be overweight than those complying with both recommendations. Furthermore, those meeting the physical activity and screen time recommendations were the least likely to be overweight. Approximately 10% of the boys and 20%

References (28)

  • P.G. Shekelle et al.

    Clinical guidelines: developing guidelines

    BMJ

    (1999)
  • P. Shekelle et al.

    When should clinical guidelines be updated?

    BMJ

    (2001)
  • B. Swinburn et al.

    Obesity prevention: a proposed framework for translating evidence into action

    Obes Rev

    (2005)
  • S.D. Vincent et al.

    An examination of the activity patterns of elementary school children

    Pediatr Exerc Sci

    (2002)
  • Cited by (122)

    • Screen time relationship of Chinese parents and their children

      2018, Children and Youth Services Review
      Citation Excerpt :

      Additionally, children with in-room TVs are less likely to engage in other activities such as physical play (Gentile & Walsh, 2002). Our study also linked boys to more screen time on computers and video games than girls, a result supported by other researchers (Carson et al., 2010; Laurson et al., 2008). The presence of a computer in a child's room was associated with increased screen time for both boys and girls (B = 0.183, p = 0.036).

    • The association between parents and children meeting physical activity guidelines

      2020, Journal of Pediatric Nursing
      Citation Excerpt :

      In addition, PA decreases during adolescence, with 42.5% of 6–11 year olds but only 5.1% of 16–19 year olds meeting activity guidelines (Katzmarzyk et al., 2018). Children and adolescents with overweight and obesity are less likely to meet physical activity guidelines (Ball et al., 2008; Kunin-Batson et al., 2015; Laurson et al., 2008). Nursing interventions to increase PA are needed, especially among groups at risk for obesity such as children and adolescents with elevated BMI.

    • Exercise and vascular function in sedentary lifestyles in humans

      2023, Pflugers Archiv European Journal of Physiology
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    In Lakeville, Minnesota, SWITCH is sponsored by the Medica Foundation, the Healthy and Active America Foundation, and Fairview Health Services. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, SWITCH is sponsored by Cargill and the Healthy and Active America Foundation. SWITCH is a trademark of the National Institute of Media and the Family MediaWise campaign.

    View full text