Prevalence of excessive screen time and associated factors in adolescents

This was a cross-sectional school-based epidemiological study with 2874 high school adolescents with age 14-19 years (57.8% female) from public and private schools in the city of João Pessoa, PB, Northeast Brazil. Excessive screen time was defined as watching television and playing video games or using the computer for more than 2 h/day. The associated factors analyzed were: sociodemographic (gender, age, economic class, and skin color), physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents.

Results:

The prevalence of excessive screen time was 79.5% (95%CI 78.1-81.1) and it was higher in males (84.3%) compared to females (76.1%; p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, adolescent males, those aged 14-15 year old and the highest economic class had higher chances of exposure to excessive screen time. The level of physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents were not associated with excessive screen time.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of excessive screen time was high and varied according to sociodemographic characteristics of adolescents. It is necessary to develop interventions to reduce the excessive screen time among adolescents, particularly in subgroups with higher exposure.

Sedentary behavior; Motor activity; Obesity

Variables	n	%
Gender
Female	1653	57.8
Male	1206	42.2

Age range (years)
14–15	1128	10.7
16–17	1438	50.0
18–19	308	39.3

Skin color
White	930	32.5
Non-white	1929	67.5

Socioeconomic class
A and B (high)	1161	45.8
C (middle)	1167	46.1
D and E (low)	205	8.1

Physical activity level
Physically active	1444	50.2
Physically inactive	1430	49.8

Nutritional status
No excess body weight	2321	86.8
Excess body weight	353	13.2

Variables	Excessive screen time^a a Watching TV, using the computer and playing videogames for more than 2 h/day.
	Prevalence (%)	95%CI	p
Total	79.5

Gender			<0.001
Female	76.1	73.9–78.1
Male	84.3	82.1–86.2

Skin color			0.075
White	81.5	78.8–88.9
Non-white	78.6	76.7–80.4

Age range (years)			<0.001
14–15	82.1	79.8–84.3
16–17	79.3	77.1–81.3
18–19	71.1	66.6–75.9

Socioeconomic status			<0.001
A and B (high)	84.6	82.4–86.5
C (middle)	78.6	76.0–80.8
D and E (low)	60.8	53.7–67.3

Physical activity level			0.002
Physically active	81.8	79.7–83.7
Physically inactive	77.2	74.9–79.3

Nutritional status			0.139
No excess body weight	79.0	77.3–80.6
Excess body weight	82.4	78.0–86.1

Variables	Excessive screen time^a a Watching TV, using the computer and playing videogames for more than 2h/day.
	Crude OR (95%CI)	p	Adjusted OR^b b Analysis adjusted by sociodemographic variables, physical activity level and nutritional status.– Data showed no significant association after adjustment (p>0.05). (95%CI)	p
Gender		<0.001		<0.001
Female	1		1
Male	1.68 (1.39–2.04)		1.49 (1.21–1.84)

Skin color		0.075
White	1		–
Non-white	0.83 (0.68–1.02)		–

Age range (years)		<0.001		<0.001
14–15	1.87 (1.40–2.51)		1.46 (1.07–2.00)
16–17	1.56 (1.18–2.06)		1.31 (1.30–2.51)
18–19	1		1

Socioeconomic status		<0.001		<0.001
A and B (high)	3.54 (2.56–4.91)		3.24 (2.32–4.52)
C (middle)	2.36 (1.72–3.24)		2.27 (1.64–3.13)
D and E (low)	1		1

Physical activity level		0.002
Physically active	1		–
Physically inactive	1.33 (1.11–1.60)		–

Nutritional status		0.140
No excess body weight	1		–
Excess body weight	1.25 (0.93–1.67)		–

Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo R. Maria Figueiredo, 595 - 10o andar, 04002-003 São Paulo - SP - Brasil, Tel./Fax: (11 55) 3284-0308; 3289-9809; 3284-0051 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rpp@spsp.org.br

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[1] * Corresponding author. E-mail:jcazuzajr@hotmail.com (J.C. Farias Júnior)..