Adolescent Sedentary Behaviors: Correlates Differ for Television Viewing and Computer Use

Abstract

Purpose Sedentary behavior is associated with obesity in youth. Understanding correlates of specific sedentary behaviors can inform the development of interventions to reduce sedentary time. The current research examines correlates of leisure computer use and television viewing among California adolescents. Methods Using data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), we examined individual, family and environmental correlates of two sedentary behaviors among 4,029 adolescents: leisure computer use and television watching. Results Linear regression analyses adjusting for a range of factors indicated several differences in the correlates of television watching and computer use. Correlates of additional time spent watching television included male sex, American Indian and African American race, lower household income, lower levels of physical activity, lower parent educational attainment, and additional hours worked by parents. Correlates of a greater amount of time spent using the computer for fun included older age, Asian race, higher household income, lower levels of physical activity, less parental knowledge of free time activities, and living in neighborhoods with higher proportions of non-white residents and higher proportions of low-income residents. Only physical activity was associated similarly with both watching television and computer use. Conclusions These results suggest that correlates of time spent on television watching and leisure computer use are different. Reducing screen time is a potentially successful strategy in combating childhood obesity, and understanding differences in the correlates of different screen time behaviors can inform the development of more effective interventions to reduce sedentary time.

Sedentary behavior based on screen time: prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors in adolescents

“…The use of VG and PC was higher among boys in studies conducted in the United States 11 and South Korea 12 . The use of TV was higher among girls in South Korea 12 and Brazil 13 .…”

“…Different studies around the world have shown that exposure to screen time is significantly different between boys and girls [7][8][9][11][12][13] . The use of VG and PC was higher among boys in studies conducted in the United States 11 and South Korea 12 .…”

“…This variable was used to be socioeconomic indicator, with predictive power for health and well being of adolescents 22 . In addition, the high maternal education is associated with better living conditions and a healthier lifestyle 6,[8][9][10][11]13 .…”

“…Another survey conducted in southern Brazil 10 analyzed computer (PC) and videogame time (VG) and found no correlation with gender and age. However, when the researchers analyzed the same data including the total hours of TV, PC and VG, age was inversely associated with total screen time 11 .…”

“…Sociodemographic factors are associated with the time that adolescents spend sitting in front of these electronic 7,[11][12][13] . For example, in a study of European adolescents, the time sitting in front of the TV was higher in adolescents with worse socioeconomic indicators.…”