NCJ Number
214877
Journal
Journal of Adolescence Volume: 29 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2006 Pages: 333-349
Date Published
June 2006
Length
17 pages
Annotation
In order to identify factors in youths' lack of exercise and physical fitness, this literature review examined research that estimated the prevalence and duration of television (TV) viewing, video-game playing, and computer use and that assessed age-related and secular trends in TV viewing among youth (18 years old and under).
Abstract
Ninety studies published in English-language journals between 1949 and 2004 indicate that youth watch an average of 1.8-2.8 hours of TV daily, depending on age and gender. Sixty-six percent watch less than 2 hours a day, and 28 percent watch more than 4 hours a day. Boys and girls with access to video games play them approximately 60 minutes and 23 minutes a day, respectively. Computer use unrelated to video-game use takes up about 30 minutes a day. Age-specific data indicate TV viewing decreases during adolescence, but "high users" at young ages are likely to remain high users when they are older. For children with access to a television set, the number of hours spent viewing TV does not appear to have increased over the past 50 years. Recent increases in overweight and obese youth have been commonly viewed as related to increased viewing of TV and other screen-based media; however, the research reviewed challenges this assumption. Future research should examine a broader range of factors related to the increase in obesity and decline in physical fitness among youth. The 90 studies reviewed obtained data from 539 independent samples. Inconsistencies in sampling, measurement, and analysis made reliable estimates of the prevalence and duration of screen-media use difficult; for example, studies relied on parent and child reports, single questions for measuring TV viewing or video game/computer use, and different units and periods of use. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 78 references