Physical Activity and Screen-Media–Related Parenting Practices Have Different Associations with Children's Objectively Measured Physical Activity

Abstract

Background: Children's physical activity (PA) is inversely associated with children's weight status. Parents may be an important influence on children's PA by restricting sedentary time or supporting PA. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of PA and screen-media-related [television (TV) and videogame] parenting practices with children's PA.Methods: Secondary analyses of baseline data were performed from an intervention with 9-to 12-year-olds who received active or inactive videogames (n = 83) to promote PA. Children's PA was assessed with 1 week of accelerometry at baseline. Parents reported their PA, TV, and videogame parenting practices and child's bedroom screen-media availability. Associations were investigated using Spearman's partial correlations and linear regressions.Results: Although several TV and videogame parenting practices were significantly intercorrelated, only a few significant correlations existed between screen-media and PA parenting practices. In linear regression models, restrictive TV parenting practices were associated with greater child sedentary time ( p = 0.03) and less moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; p = 0.01). PA logistic support parenting practices were associated with greater child MVPA ( p = 0.03). Increased availability of screen-media equipment in the child's bedroom was associated with more sedentary time ( p = 0.02) and less light PA ( p = 0.01) and MVPA ( p = 0.05) in all three models.Conclusion: In this cross-sectional sample, restrictive screen-media and supportive PA parenting practices had opposite associations with children's PA. Longitudinal and experimental child PA studies should assess PA and screen-media parenting separately to understand how parents influence their child's PA behaviors and whether the child's baseline PA or screen media behaviors affect the parent's use of parenting practices. Recommendations to remove screens from children's bedrooms may also affect their PA.

Correlates of Physical Activity in Latino Preschool Children Attending Head Start

“…We were unable to include 15 children in our analyses due to insufficient accelerometry or covariate data. Further it did not include any built environment measures or measures of parenting practices, both of which may influence children’s PA (36,37,58). The cross-sectional design limits our ability to determine the directionality of associations.…”

The Role of Parenting Practices in the Home Environment among Underserved Youth

“…Because the item ''juice served at meals'' did not specify 100% fruit juice, we categorized this item as an indicator of SSB availability. Frequency of family meals and family meals in front of the TV, [14][15][16] the number of TVs in the home and the presence of a TV in the child's bedroom, 12,37 and owning sports equipment or active video games 37 were assessed using questionnaire items previously reported in the literature. Household food security was assessed by parents' self-response to six items from the Short Form of the Household Food Security Scale, 38,39 a validated and reliable instrument.…”

“…Previous measures of the home environment have largely focused on micro-level contributions, which include parenting practices, 7 availability/accessibility of foods, screen media (SM), and PAs, [8][9][10][11][12][13] family meal structure, [14][15][16] and household food security, [17][18][19] given that these components are most proximal to, and therefore influential of, children's daily lifestyles. Parenting practices are important components of children's home environments because they reflect behavioral strategies used by parents to regulate what, when, or how much children eat and engage in PA that can be targeted through behavioral change interventions.…”

“…12,21 Results of the Aventuras para Niños 22 intervention, which targeted changes in the home environment among Latino families using promotoras (community-based health educators), found that increases in parent report of monitoring and reinforcement, as measured by the Parenting Strategies for Eating and Activity Scale (PEAS), mediated reductions in children's television (TV) viewing while getting ready for school and increases in fruit and vegetable (FV) intake at 2-year follow-up among families who received the intervention, but not the control group.…”

Conceptual Understanding of Screen Media Parenting: Report of a Working Group

“…Therefore, the influence of screen media parenting practices on these other (co-varying) behaviors should also be assessed to better understand the complex mechanisms by which screen media use effects outcomes. For example, restrictive TV parenting practices were associated with greater child sedentary time and less physical activity in one small study, 65 suggesting that parenting in one domain may influence behaviors in another domain and these relationships may be complex and have bidirectional effects.…”