Parental limits on TV watching: Association with children's total screen time and physical activity

We examined the relationship of parental limits on TV viewing and children's physical activity (PA), television watching (TV; including videos) and total screen time (TV, video games, non-homework computer use). Self-reported data are from a baseline survey administered Fall 2005 in 47 Massachusetts middle schools participating in the Healthy Choices Collaborative Intervention, a multi-component school-based intervention aimed at improving PA and dietary behaviors. Among 19,580 6-8th graders, 13% reported their parents always limit how much TV they watch compared to 39% whose parents sometimes limit and 49% who “can watch as much TV” as they want. Across the 3 groups, the percentage meeting the recommendation of ≤ 2 hours of TV daily was 90%, 75%, and 59%, respectively, on school days and 72%, 51% and 43% on weekend days. Students whose parents always limit TV, compared to students whose parents sometimes and who never limit TV, spent significantly less time playing video games and on non-homework computer use (estimated 0.9 h/d vs. 1.4 and 2.0 h/d, respectively), had significantly lower total screen time (estimated 2.2 vs. 3.4 and 4.5 h/d), and reported significantly more moderate PA (3.4 vs. 3.2 days/week of at least 30 min/d) and vigorous PA (4.6 vs. 4.2 and 4.1 d/wk of at least 20 min/d). Results remained significant after adjustment for sex, age, race-ethnicity, and school. Findings suggest that among middle-school youth consistent parental limits on TV watching are associated with less time in front of a screen and more time being moderately and vigorously active.