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Published on: April 19, 2017
Duration and practices of television viewing in Thai infants and toddlers
Utcharee Intusoma1, Ladda Mo-Suwan, Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. utchareei@yahoo.com
Insights
Most Thai children watch television by age three, with viewing duration increasing significantly from one to three years. Bangkok children have twice the screen time compared to those in other regions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Television viewing is generally discouraged for infants.
- The prevalence and patterns of television exposure in young Thai children remain largely undocumented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the magnitude and patterns of television viewing among infants and young children in Thailand.
- To establish baseline data on early childhood screen time in a Thai cohort.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 4,157 children participating in the Prospective Cohort of Thai Children study.
- Collected information on television viewing magnitude and practices between 2001 and 2005.
Main Results:
- By age three, 95% of children were exposed to television.
- Average viewing duration increased from 10 minutes/day at one year to 60 minutes/day by three years.
- Children in Bangkok exhibited double the screen time compared to those in other provinces; cartoons and entertainment were the most popular genres.
Conclusions:
- The majority of children in this Thai cohort are exposed to television by three years of age.
- Early childhood television viewing is prevalent and increases with age, highlighting potential public health concerns.
Background:
Television viewing is discouraged in infants; however its magnitude and pattern in Thailand is still unknown
Material And Method:
Data on magnitude of TV viewing and viewing practices from 4,157 children in Prospective Cohort of Thai Children were obtained between 2001 and 2005.
Results:
At 1, 2, 2.5, and 3 years of age, the percentage of children watching TV was 77%, 90%, 92%, and 95%, respectively. Viewing duration also increased with age from 10 minutes/day at 1 year to 60 minutes/day at 3 years. Bangkok children spent double the screen time than children in other provinces. The most popular programs were cartoons and entertainment while 4% to 7% watched children programs.
Conclusion:
Most children in this cohort were exposed to TV by three years of age.
