Factors associated with adolescent sedentary behaviors: Television viewing and computer use

Inadequate physical activity and more time spent in sedentary behavior are associated with obesity in youth. Moreover, reducing time spent in sedentary behaviors may reduce childhood obesity risk. Understanding differences in the correlates of different sedentary behaviors can inform development of interventions to reduce sedentary time. Using data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a random-digit dial (RDD) telephone survey of California households, we examined individual, family and environmental correlates of two sedentary behaviors among adolescents: computer use and television viewing. Adolescents spent 2.9 hours watching television on a typical weekend day and 1.6 hours using the computer for non-school activities. Regression analyses adjusting for a range of factors indicated several differences in the correlates of television watching and computer use. Correlates of additional time spent watching television included male gender, American Indian and African American race, inadequate physical activity, and lower levels of parental education. Correlates of additional time spent using the computer included older age, Asian race, higher household income, inadequate physical activity, lack of parental knowledge of free time activities, and living in a higher-income neighborhood. Only physical activity was associated with both watching television and computer use. These results suggest there are differences in the correlates of time spent watching television and using the computer. Reducing screen time is a potentially successful strategy in combating childhood obesity, and understanding differences in the correlates of different screen time behaviors can inform the development of more effective interventions to reduce sedentary time.