Associations between movement behaviors, sleep, and screen time exposure in middle childhood using multivariable...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Child Development

Background:

• Recreational screen time is a growing public health concern for children.
• Prior research identified individual and environmental factors but lacked a developmental framework.
• Few studies have examined screen time within a policy-relevant context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate behavioral, physical, and demographic correlates of categorized recreational screen time in Portuguese children.
• To analyze associations between screen time and sleep, physical activity, adiposity, and motor competence.
• To inform public health strategies and interventions for managing children's screen time.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of 307 Portuguese children aged 6-10 years.
• Multinomial logistic regression to assess screen time categories.
• Inclusion of parent-reported screen time and device-based measures of sedentary time, physical activity, and sleep.

Main Results:

• Increased sedentary time was associated with higher odds of higher screen time categories (OR = 1.13).
• Higher sleep efficiency showed a positive association with greater screen time (OR = 1.07).
• Girls were less likely than boys to be in the high screen time category (OR = 0.41).

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight the interdependence of movement behaviors and screen time in children.
• Specific sleep and sedentary profiles are linked to excessive screen time.
• Sex-sensitive, context-specific interventions are crucial for managing screen time and promoting healthy habits.