Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults
Published on: July 16, 2016
Screen time and sweet consumption in preschool children: a cross-sectional study
Soraya Alves Marreiro1, Isabela Araújo Linhares Castro1, Samir Gabriel Vasconcelos Azevedo1
1Universidade Federal do Ceará. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Insights
Preschool children exceeding two hours of daily screen time, particularly on smartphones, consumed more sweets. Limiting candy intake was associated with reduced excessive screen time in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition
Background:
- Excessive screen time is a growing concern among preschool-aged children.
- Dietary habits, including sweet consumption, are established during early childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between television and smartphone screen time and sweet consumption in preschool children.
- To identify factors associated with excessive screen time in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 175 caregivers of children aged 1-5 years in northeastern Brazil.
- Data collected included sociodemographic information, screen time duration, and frequency of consuming sweets, snacks, and soft drinks.
- Statistical analysis utilized non-parametric tests to determine significance (p<0.05).
Main Results:
- Excessive smartphone use (>2 hours/day) was more prevalent in 3-4 year olds (OR=2.26), mixed-race children, and those not in full-time education.
- Limiting candy consumption significantly reduced the likelihood of excessive smartphone screen time (OR=0.32).
Conclusions:
- Preschoolers with over two hours of daily screen time exhibited higher sweet intake.
- Screen time habits and dietary patterns are interconnected in early childhood, highlighting the need for integrated interventions.
Objectives:
to analyze television and smartphone screen time and sweet consumption among preschool children in a capital city in northeastern Brazil.
Methods:
a cross-sectional study was conducted with 175 caregivers of children aged 1 to 5 years enrolled in six Early Childhood Education Centers. Sociodemographic data, screen time, and frequency of consumption of sweets, snacks, and soft drinks were collected and analyzed using non-parametric tests (p<0.05).
Results:
excessive smartphone use (>two hours/day) was significantly more frequent in children aged 3 to 4 years (Odds Ratio=2.26; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.09-4.67; p=0.02), of mixed race/color (p<0.01), and not enrolled in full-time education (p<0.01). Limits on candy consumption reduced the chance of excessive smartphone screen time (Odds Ratio=0.32; p=0.023).
Conclusions:
preschool children who exceed two hours of screen time per day showed higher intake of sweets.
