Prevalence of high screen time and associated factors among students: a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang, China

To investigate the prevalence and correlates of high screen time (ST) among students in Zhejiang, China.

Cross-sectional study.

School-based adolescent health survey in Zhejiang Province, China.

23 543 students in grades 7-12 from 442 different schools.

High ST.

The mean age of the students was 15.6 years and 49.7% of them were girls. The prevalence of high ST (screen viewing ≥2 hours per day) was 42.4% (95% CI 40.2% to 44.5%), higher in boys than in girls (45.4%(95% CI 42.8% to 48.0%) vs 39.1% (95% CI 36.6% to 41.7%)). No statistically significant difference was found between urban and rural areas (43.0% (95% CI 37.2% to 48.7%) vs 42.1% (95% CI 39.6% to 44.6%)). The prevalence of high ST among middle school, academic high school and vocational high school students was 35.3%, 30.0% and 73.5%, respectively. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that older age, attendance at vocational high school, non-intact family, poor academic performance, bad self-reported health status, loneliness and drinking carbonated beverages ≥3 times every day were positively associated with high ST. Attendance at academic high school, higher parental education and being physically active were negatively associated with high ST.

High ST was prevalent among students and associated with a cluster of sociodemographic and behavioural risk factors in Zhejiang, China.