Screen Media Exposure and Obesity in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Obesity is one of the best-documented outcomes of screen media exposure. Many observational studies find relationships between screen media exposure and increased risks of obesity. Randomized controlled trials of reducing screen time in community settings have reduced weight gain in children, demonstrating a cause and effect relationship. Current evidence suggests that screen media exposure leads to obesity in children and adolescents through increased eating while viewing; exposure to high-calorie, low-nutrient food and beverage marketing that influences children’s preferences, purchase requests, consumption habits; and reduced sleep duration. Some evidence also suggests promise for using interactive media to improve eating and physical activity behaviors to prevent or reduce obesity. Future interdisciplinary research is needed to examine the effects of newer mobile and other digital media exposures on obesity; to examine the effectiveness of additional interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of media exposures on obesity and possible moderators and mediators of intervention effects; to effectively use digital media interventions to prevent and reduce obesity; and to uncover the mechanisms underlying the causal relationships and interactions between obesity-related outcomes and media content, characteristics, and context.

Excessive use of mobile devices and children's physical health

“…The most widely supported physical health correlates of traditional media use, such as TV viewing, computer usage, and video game play, are child obesity (Robinson et al, ) and poorer sleep health (LeBourgeois et al, ). Mechanisms linking TV time, specifically, to child obesity include exposure to advertisements, food consumption while viewing TV, and disrupted sleep (Robinson et al, ).…”

“…The most widely supported physical health correlates of traditional media use, such as TV viewing, computer usage, and video game play, are child obesity (Robinson et al, ) and poorer sleep health (LeBourgeois et al, ). Mechanisms linking TV time, specifically, to child obesity include exposure to advertisements, food consumption while viewing TV, and disrupted sleep (Robinson et al, ). Current research on newer media indicate similar mechanisms of effect, particularly because TV programming can be streamed through mobile devices and advertisements are embedded in streaming apps, gaming apps, and social media (Robinson et al, ).…”

“…Mechanisms linking TV time, specifically, to child obesity include exposure to advertisements, food consumption while viewing TV, and disrupted sleep (Robinson et al, ). Current research on newer media indicate similar mechanisms of effect, particularly because TV programming can be streamed through mobile devices and advertisements are embedded in streaming apps, gaming apps, and social media (Robinson et al, ). Specific to traditional media and sleep, screen time appears to delay when children go to bed (i.e., computer usage is associated with later bed times) and having screens in the bedroom may delay sleep onset (Hale & Guan, ).…”

“If You Let Them, They Will Be on It 24 Hours a Day”: Qualitative Study Conducted in the United States Exploring Brazilian Immigrant Mothers’ Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Screen Time Behaviors of Their Preschool-Age Children (Preprint)

“…The increasing use of and prevalence of excessive screen time (ST) among children is a growing public health concern [1][2][3]. ST is time spent with any type of screen, including smartphones, tablets, television, video games, computers, etc.…”

Digital Food Marketing to Young People: A Substantial Public Health Challenge

“…In general, the role of screen time in driving obesity is well-known [15]. For television food advertising specifically, the extent of children's likely exposure [16], the marketing techniques used [17], the impact on eating behaviour [18] and the evidence for a causal relationship with body weight [19] are relatively well characterised.…”