Limiting screen
time may be important for optimal health of young people regardless of
how much physical activity they get, according to a study in the
United Kingdom. The study, “Children’s Screen Viewing Related to Psychological Difficulties Irrespective of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time,” is published in the November issue of Pediatrics
(published online Oct. 11). Researchers from the University of
Bristol’s School for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences assessed
1,000 children ages 10 to 11 years, looking at time spent on
recreational media use and measuring sedentary time overall as well as
time spent on moderate to vigorous activity. The children also
completed a strengths and difficulties questionnaire to assess their
psychological well-being.
The results showed that both television
viewing and computer use were related to higher psychological
difficulty scores, regardless of how much time the children spent on
physical activity. Children who spent more time on sedentary activity
had better psychological scores overall. Those with more physical
activity fared better in certain psychological areas, including
emotional and peer problems, but fared worse in some areas related to
conduct, including hyperactivity. The authors concluded that both
television viewing and computer use are important targets for
intervention for children’s well-being, regardless of their levels of
physical activity or sedentary time.
The American Academy of
Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians,
pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists
dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children,
adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.
