Does children's screen time predict requests for advertised products? Cross-sectional and prospective analyses

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Media Studies
• Consumer Behavior

Background:

• Children's exposure to screen media is pervasive.
• Advertised products, including toys and food/drinks, are frequently targeted at children.
• Understanding the impact of screen media on children's requests for advertised products is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between children's screen media exposure and their subsequent requests for advertised toys and food/drinks.
• To determine if screen media exposure is a prospective risk factor for product requests.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving 827 third-grade children.
• Follow-up of 386 students over 20 months.
• Child self-reported requests for advertised toys and foods/drinks were the primary outcome measures.

Main Results:

• Significant associations were found between baseline screen media time and concurrent requests for advertised toys and foods/drinks.
• Screen media exposure at baseline predicted future requests for toys and foods/drinks up to 20 months later.
• After adjustments, screen media exposure remained a significant predictor of future requests for advertised foods/drinks and toys.

Conclusions:

• Screen media exposure is a prospective risk factor for children requesting advertised products.
• Further experimental research is recommended to explore children's health and consumer-related outcomes.
• Findings highlight the need to consider screen media's role in shaping children's consumer habits.