Theme: The science of sedentary behaviorHealth Risks, Correlates, and Interventions to Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Young People
Section snippets
Context
In 1971, the average age at which children began to watch TV was 4 years; today, it is 5 months.1 Electronic entertainment products are now omnipresent and increasingly affordable. Trends in electronic entertainment products in Canadian homes are presented in Figure 1 and provide clear evidence of a “screen invasion” over the past 20–30 years.2 Other dramatic lifestyle changes include increased dependence on cars,3 and a greater number of labor-saving devices in the home4 and at work. These
Evidence Acquisition
Although this is not a systematic review, where possible findings from relevant review papers were summarized and a search of more recent literature was performed using computer-based databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ERIC, PsycINFO, Social Science Index, SportDiscus, and Health Reference Center – Academic. The search targeted primary research articles, systematic reviews, guidelines and/or recommendations, and consensus statements published up to and including March 2011 that reported
Evidence Synthesis
Despite most sedentary behavior prevalence studies focusing on children's screen time, U.S. time use data32 reported little change in TV viewing. This is consistent with the finding of a comprehensive review33 of the prevalence of screen-based behaviors between 1997 and 2005, which identified 90 studies and 539 independent samples of children aged 0–18 years. Approximately 34% of young people spent >2 hours per day watching TV. Studies34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 published after this review
Conclusion
Data suggest that the “sedentary age” has arrived and children spend much of their waking day sitting. Aggressive, evidence-informed multi-setting interventions are possibly required to reverse the trends of increasing sedentary behavior among children; however, there is still insufficient evidence of the importance of the environment in its association with sedentary behavior. The negative consequences of this trend have already been observed in many countries and this should be communicated
References (81)
- et al.
Sedentary behaviour and obesity development in children and adolescents
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis
(2008) - et al.
The relationship between sedentary activities and physical inactivity among adolescents: results from the Canadian community health survey
J Adolesc Health
(2006) - et al.
Trends in Australian children traveling to school 1971–2003: burning petrol or carbohydrates?
Prev Med
(2008) - et al.
A descriptive epidemiology of screen-based media use in youth: a review and critique
J Adolesc
(2006) - et al.
Fatness, physical activity, and television viewing in children during the adiposity rebound period: the Iowa Bone Development Study
Prev Med
(2002) - et al.
Changes in sedentary behavior among adolescent girls: a 2.5-year prospective cohort study
J Adolesc Health
(2007) - et al.
Effect of electronic time monitors on children's television watching: pilot trial of a home-based intervention
Prev Med
(2009) - et al.
Television and DVD/video viewing in children younger than 2 years
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
(2007) - et al.
Limitations of Canada's physical activity data: implications for monitoring trends
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab
(2007) Social trends no. 40. Office for National Statistics
Labor saved, calories lost: the energetic impact of domestic labor-saving devices
Obes Res
Media and child and adolescent health: a systematic review
Relationships between media use, body fatness and physical activity in children and youth: a meta-analysis
Int J Obes
Is the Canadian childhood obesity epidemic related to physical inactivity?
Int J Obes
Relationship between screen time and metabolic syndrome in adolescents
J Public Health
Television and children's consumption patternsA review of the literature
Minerva Pediatr
Evidence of a possible link between obesogenic food advertising and child overweight
Obes Rev
Couch kids: correlates of television viewing among youth
Int J Behav Med
TV viewing and physical activity are independently associated with metabolic risk in children: the European Youth Heart Study
PLoS Med
Sedentary behavior and obesity in a large cohort of children
Obesity
Objectively measured time spent sedentary is associated with insulin resistance independent of overall and central body fat in 9- to 10-year-old Portuguese children
Diabetes Care
The effects of television violence on antisocial behavior: a meta-analysis
Commun Res
Adolescent screen time and attachment to parents and peers
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
Generation M2: media in the lives of 8- to 18-year-oldsA Kaiser Family Foundation Study
Association of television viewing during childhood with poor educational achievement
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
The effects of infant media usage: what do we know and what should we learn?
Acta Paediatr
Get up and growHealthy eating and physical activity for early childhood
Committee on Public EducationChildren, adolescents, and television
Pediatrics
A 2020 vision for healthy people
N Engl J Med
Australia's physical activity recommendations for children and young people
Physiological and health implications of a sedentary lifestyle
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab
Physical activity guidelines (5 to 18 year olds)
Canadian sedentary behaviour guidelines for children and youth
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab
Chapter 22. Physical activity and fitnessDHHS
Physical activity for children: a statement of guidelines
Changes in American Children's Time, 1981–1997
Trends in vigorous physical activity and TV watching of adolescents from 1986 to 2002 in seven European Countries
Eur J Public Health
Digital childhood: electronic media and technology use among infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
Pediatrics
Report Card on the Physical Activity of Canadian Children and Youth
2009 Report Card on the Physical Activity of Canadian Children and Youth
Cited by (204)
Time spent in different sedentary activity domains across adolescence: a follow-up study
2022, Jornal de PediatriaPhysical activity research in Australia: A view from exercise psychology and behavioural medicine
2021, Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise PsychologyStanding power wheelchairs and their use by children and youth with mobility limitations: an interrupted time series
2024, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive TechnologySedentary Behavior Patterns of the Hungarian Adult Population
2023, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health