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WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT:Children's screen time should be limited to Յ2 hours/day. Strategies to limit excessive screen time include development of parental rules (studies have not yet examined the importance of consistency) and promotion of physical activity (study results have been mixed). WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:Rules that were consistent and that were reported by both parents and children were associated with the lowest prevalence of children exceeding recommended screen-time limits. Children's odds of exceeding screen-time limits decreased as the number of physical activity sessions increased.abstract OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of demographics, rules associated with television-viewing, and physical activity with daily screen time (including television, non-school-related computer use, and video games) in children and adolescents. METHODS:We analyzed data from a telephone survey of 7415 youth aged 9 to 15 years from the Youth Media Campaign Longitudinal Survey. We used logistic regression models to calculate odds of exceeding recommended screen-time limits (Ͼ120 minutes/day) according to demographics, rules, and physical activity. RESULTS:Odds that children would exceed recommended screen-time limits were positively associated with age and black race/ethnicity and negatively associated with income level. Children and adolescents who reported that they really agreed that their parents had rules about time spent watching television and playing video games were less likely to exceed recommended limits than those who strongly disagreed that their parents had rules. Similarly, when parents reported always or very often having limits on television watching (versus rarely or never) and when parents correctly identified the recommended limits, children were less likely to exceed recommended limits. Children whose parents reported consistent limits and who themselves reported consistent rules about time spent watching television had the lowest prevalence of exceeding recommended limits. Odds that children would exceed recommended limits decreased as physical activity in the previous week increased. CONCLUSIONS:Parental rules regarding screen time and participation in physical activity play a role in the amount of screen time among children and adolescents. Programs that encourage limit-setting by parents and promote physical activity may reduce screen time among youth. Pediatrics 2010;126:e89-e96 AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT. Objective. To determine the effects of a mass media campaign on the levels of physical activity among children 9 to 13 years of age.Design. A prospective, longitudinal, quasi-experimental design was used. A baseline survey was conducted in April to June 2002, before the launch of VERB advertising. Random-digit-dialing methods were used to survey a nationally representative sample of children and parents. The follow-up survey was repeated with the same cohort of children and parents in April to June 2003. Propensity scoring was used to determine the campaign's effects on awareness and physical activity behaviors.Setting. United States. Participants. A total of 3120 parent-child dyads.Intervention. The VERB campaign is a multiethnic campaign that combines paid advertisements with school and community promotions and Internet activities to encourage children 9 to 13 years of age to be physically active every day. Results. After 1 year, 74% of children surveyed were aware of the VERB campaign. Levels of reported sessions of free-time physical activity increased for subgroups of children 9 to 13 years of age. A pattern of effects across 2 measures was observed for younger children (9 -10 years of age), girls, children whose parents had less than a high school education, children from urban areas that were densely populated, and children who were low active at baseline. These subgroups engaged in more median weekly sessions of free-time physical activity than did children who were unaware of VERB and, as the children's level of VERB awareness was incrementally higher, the children engaged in incrementally more freetime physical activity sessions. The average 9-to 10-yearold youth engaged in 34% more free-time physical activity sessions per week than did 9-to 10-year-old youths who were unaware of the campaign. A pattern of effects for organized activity was found only for children classified as low active at baseline.Conclusions. The VERB campaign achieved high levels of awareness in 1 year. Higher levels of physical activity were reported for subgroups of US children. Promoting physical activity with child-focused commercial advertising shows promise.