Relationships Between Use of Television During Meals and Children's Food Consumption Patterns

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. We examined relationships between the presence of television during meals and children's food consumption patterns to test whether children's overall food consumption patterns, including foods not normally advertised, vary systematically with the extent to which television is part of normal mealtime routines.Methods. Ninety-one parent-child pairs from suburbs adjacent to Washington, DC, recruited via advertisements and word of mouth, participated. Children were in the fourth, fifth, or sixth grades. Socioeconomic data and information on television use were collected during survey interviews. Three nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, conducted with each child, were used to construct nutrient and food intake outcome variables. Independent sample t tests were used to compare mean food and nutrient intakes of children from families in which the television was usually on during 2 or more meals (n ‫؍‬ 41) to those of children from families in which the television was either never on or only on during one meal (n ‫؍‬ 50). Multiple linear regression models, controlling for socioeconomic factors and other covariates, were used to test strength of associations between television and children's consumption of food groups and nutrients.Results. Children from families with high television use derived, on average, 6% more of their total daily energy intake from meats; 5% more from pizza, salty snacks, and soda; and nearly 5% less of their energy intake from fruits, vegetables, and juices than did children from families with low television use. Associations between television and children's consumption of food groups remained statistically significant in multiple linear regression models that controlled for socioeconomic factors and other covariates.Children from high television families derived less of their total energy from carbohydrate and consumed twice as much caffeine as children from low television families. There continued to be a significant association between television and children's consumption of caffeine when these relationships were tested in multiple linear regression models.Conclusion. The dietary patterns of children from families in which television viewing is a normal part of meal routines may include fewer fruits and vegetables and more pizzas, snack foods, and sodas than the dietary patterns of children from families in which television viewing and eating are separate activities. Pediatrics 2001;107(1). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/107/1/e7; television, food consumption patterns, dietary patterns.ABBREVIATION. NKAN, nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and norms.

Children with a TV in their bedroom at higher risk for being overweight

“…5,41 Research has also shown differential eating patterns between those who eat in front of the TV and those who do not. 12 Other potential mediating variables could include increased exposure to food-related advertising directed at children, 42,43 or interference with sleep. Two studies have demonstrated that children who receive less than 10 h of sleep per night were more likely to be obese, 44,45 and additional research has shown that having a TV in the bedroom is associated with fewer hours of sleep.…”

“…2 Averaging at least 3 h a day, child media exposure to TV exceeds other media, including exposure to videos/DVDs/movies, print media, audio media, computers and video games. 2 High amounts of TV use have been associated with many negative outcomes, including poor scholastic performance, 7,8 sleep deprivation, 9,10 child requests for advertised foods, 11 eating fewer fruits and vegetables and more pizza/snack food/soda, 12 greater consumption of high-fat foods 13 and higher BMI. [4][5][6]14 Overweight is associated with many diseases, 1,[15][16][17] and the greater the degree of overweight as a child, the greater the likelihood that child will be overweight as an adult.…”

“…[4][5][6]14 Overweight is associated with many diseases, 1,[15][16][17] and the greater the degree of overweight as a child, the greater the likelihood that child will be overweight as an adult. 18,19 Extensive research addressing the intersection of TV use and child overweight has included known risk factors for child overweight, such as sociodemographics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, household income, parent education), 20,21 dietary intake (amounts and types of foods eaten), 13 presence of TV at meals, 12 perception of parental weight status 5,20 and measures of physical activity. 4,22 However, studies of TV use and child overweight have largely overlooked the presence of a TV in a child's bedroom.…”

Screen-related Sedentary Behaviors: Children's and Parents' Attitudes, Motivations, and Practices

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10] These findings may be associated with decreased energy expenditure and the increased energy intake either from overeating due to a delay in normal mealtime satiation 11 or snacking that occurs during inactive times such as TV viewing. [12][13][14][15] In addition, children may be more likely to choose unhealthy foods as a result of exposure to TV food commercials. 16 Reducing screen-related sedentary behaviour (S-RSB) is essential to prevent and treat childhood obesity.…”

“Just three more bites”: An observational analysis of parents’ socialization of children's eating at mealtime

“…Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. (Videon & Manning, 2003) and by consumption of foods high in fat and sugar (Coon, Goldberg, Rogers, & Tucker, 2001). In addition, several cross-sectional studies have suggested that the frequency of family meals is positively associated with consumption of healthier foods (e.g., Neumark-Sztainer, Hannan, Story, Croll, & Perry, 2003).…”