October 21, 2024, 1:10 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
On average, 12 to 13-year-olds in Germany have 121 minutes of screen time per day – a number that tends to increase with age. This high usage can affect the musculoskeletal system, potentially causing back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Moreover, a new study suggests that screen time may also influence dietary habits.
At 121 to 250 minutes, the average screen time of children and young people can be classified as far above the recommendation of the Federal Centre for Health Education.1 This is because the guideline for nine to eleven-year-olds is actually a maximum of 45 to 60 minutes; for 12 to 16-year-olds, one to two hours; and for over 16-year-olds, two hours per day.2 Excessive consumption also has consequences: A new study reveals that screen time has an impact on children’s diets.
Overview
Survey of parents of primary school children
The cross-sectional study is based on a survey conducted from March to May 2023.3 The survey is part of an educational measure in northeastern Italy and has been conducted in elementary schools since the 2018/2019 school year with the aim of promoting a varied, healthy, and balanced diet. The study’s total sample size comprised 332 children aged ten to eleven from 14 different elementary schools. The children’s parents or guardians completed the online questionnaire.
The questionnaire featured 34 multiple-choice questions that pertained to the children and their parents, inquiring about various factors. The scientists classified adherence to the Mediterranean diet as healthy and, on this basis, formulated 16 questions on dietary patterns that support or exclude it. In doing so, they used the scientifically recognized KidMed test as a guide. The researchers also used 13 questions to determine media consumption behavior. They also asked about:
- Sleep
- Time for homework
- Practice of an extracurricular sport
- Family environment
- Behavioral characteristics of the children
Children’s high screen time led to poorer nutrition
86.2 percent of mothers stated that their children followed the Mediterranean diet moderately well to well. With regard to weight, the following was observed in the study:
- 66.6 percent of the children were of normal weight
- 18.4 percent of the children were overweight
- 10.7 percent of the children were obese
- 4.3 percent of the children were underweight
The main digital activities of the study group included watching TV or streaming videos or other content from streaming platforms, which took up an average of five hours per week. In addition, an average of 2.3 hours per week was spent playing video games. The researchers concluded that, as would probably be expected, adherence to the Mediterranean diet did not have a significant impact on media consumption levels. However, children with higher screen time were less likely to follow a healthy diet in the form of the Mediterranean diet.
Possible correlations
The researchers suspect that high screen time leads to children eating more mindlessly, moving less, sitting more, and consuming more unplanned meals. Sleep may also suffer as a result.
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Classification of the study
The study indicates that high screen time can have a detrimental effect on children’s diets. However, the studies only included children from one region in Italy, which is why it is not guaranteed that the results could also apply to children in other regions of Italy or even to children in other countries. Furthermore, the study size of 332 participants is very small.
The fact that the study was based on information provided by parents could also have influenced the results. This is due to the subjective nature of the parents’ responses when completing the questionnaire, which may not always reflect accuracy.