Sedentary Behavior And Associations To Portable Screen-Based Device Use And Parental Influence In Rural Children

Previous studies from our research group have examined the potential link between portable screen-based devices (i.e., smartphones and tablet computers) and sedentary behavior/physical activity in a primarily suburban population of young children and their parents. It was determined child sedentary behavior was related to portable screen-based device use while physical activity was not. While such relationships were found in a suburban population, rural demographic groups have been shown to differ in both their screen-based device use and physical activity variables suggesting the corresponding associations may also differ. PURPOSE: To examine screen-based media device (smartphone, tablet, television, video games, computer) use in children and parents from a rural population in relation to sedentary behavior and physical activity. METHODS: Parents (N = 7, 33.57 ± 3.95 years old) completed validated questionnaires assessing average daily total screen use (smartphone, tablet, television, video games, computer), portable screen-based device use (smartphone, tablet), sedentary behavior, and physical activity for both themselves and their children (N = 7, 7.00 ± 1.15 years old). Four standard regression models were used to assess the relationship between criterion variables and the following predictor variables: child age, child sex, child average daily sedentary time, and child physical activity. Criterion variables included (a) child portable screen-based device use (Model 1), (b) child total screen use (Model 2), (c) parent portable screen-based device use (Model 3), and (d) parent total screen use (Model 4). RESULTS: Child sedentary time was significantly (β = 0.92, t = 4.65, p = 0.04) and positively associated with parent screen-based device use. Child age, sex, and physical activity were not significantly (p > 0.05) related to either parent or child portable or total device use. CONCLUSION: Contrary to findings in young children from suburban populations, the current results from this limited sample suggest child sedentary behavior was not found to be related to portable screen-based device use in rural children. Furthermore, the data confirms previous findings that parental screen-based device use was predictive of sitting in their children.