Screen time usage among preschoolers aged 2-6 in rural Western India: A cross-sectional study

We have evaluated screen time usage among preschool-aged (≤6 years) children in rural Western India. In addition, we have evaluated various lifestyle factors and their impact on the screen time of these children.

English-medium schools in the locality were chosen based on convenience. A self-report survey requesting family information and screen usage information was distributed to the parents. Daily screen time was categorized as a three-category variable. Ordered logistic regression with multivariable regression was performed to examine the association of risk factors with screen time.

Average screen time among the 379 (208 males, 171 female) children amounted to 2.7 hours (SD: 1.7), with average daily television screen time of 1.6 hours (SD: 1.1). Most children (87.2%) started screen use by the age of 3. Only 65 (17.2%) participants met AAP recommendation. Households with three devices and smartphone usage by mothers increased the odds of screen time by 60% and two-folds, respectively. Compared to weekdays, children had increased screen time exposure (3.5 vs 2.7 hours, P < 0.001), outdoor activity time (2.3 vs 1.6, P < 0.001), and reading hours (1.2 vs 1.1, P = 0.03) on weekends. No association was observed between screen time and mother's occupation.

More than 80% of children exceeded the advised screen time with television and smartphone being the major contributors. This issue has to be dealt with at both individual and societal levels. Increased awareness about the high prevalence of inappropriate use of screen time use within the Indian context is needed to inspire attention and interventions for this emerging public health problem in India.