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Smartphone use by children in fast food restaurants in Barcelona (Spain): a direct observation study
Sonia de Paz-Cantos1, Adrián González-Marrón2, Cristina Lidón-Moyano1
1Group of Evaluation of Health Determinants and Health Policies, Department of Basic Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de estudios del uso saludable de pantallas durante la Infancia (Kenko Lab), Spain.
Insights
Nearly one in three meals in Barcelona fast-food restaurants involve children using smartphones. This highlights the need for awareness regarding responsible screen time and healthier mealtime environments for kids.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Digital Media Use
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood screen time is a growing concern.
- Fast food restaurants are common family dining venues.
- Understanding digital device use during meals is crucial for child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate smartphone usage among children during mealtimes in Barcelona fast-food establishments.
- To identify factors associated with children's smartphone use in these settings.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1616 children (ages 4-10) in Barcelona fast-food restaurants.
- Data collected via direct observation between October 2021 and July 2022.
- Statistical analyses included Chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact tests, and Poisson regression models to assess associations.
Main Results:
- Smartphone use was observed in 28.1% of observed meals.
- Higher smartphone use was linked to older children and younger caregivers (under 30).
- Lack of caregiver-child interaction was also associated with increased smartphone use.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of children use smartphones during meals at fast-food restaurants in Barcelona.
- Findings emphasize the need for public health initiatives promoting responsible screen use.
- Creating healthier, more interactive mealtime environments for children is recommended.
Objective:
To explore the use of smartphones at mealtimes by children in fast food restaurants in the city of Barcelona and to assess the variables associated with this use.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was carried out. Data from 1616 children of estimated ages between 4 to 10 years were collected in fast-food restaurants in the ten districts of Barcelona between October 2021 and July 2022. The percentage of smartphone use, overall and according to covariates, were calculated. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests, and crude and adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance, were carried out to assess the association between use and covariates.
Results:
Direct observation revealed that in 28.1% of meals with children at fast food restaurants, children used smartphones. Smartphone use was significantly higher in older children if their caregivers were younger than 30 years and when there was no caregiver-child interaction. In the adjusted model, higher patterns of smartphone use were associated with older children (aPR [95% CI]: 1.36[1.20-1.55]) and younger parents (aPR [95% CI]: 1.38[1.09-1.73]).
Conclusions:
Almost one in three meals with children at fast-food restaurants in Barcelona involves smartphone use. This finding underlines the importance of raising awareness of responsible screen use and promoting healthier environments for children at mealtimes.
