269519 Parental Rules for Electronic Media Use and Children's Physical Activity

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Wenhua Lu , Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Katrina Serrano, MS , Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Leina Zhu , Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
E. Lisako J. McKyer, PhD, MPH , Department of Health & Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Sharon McWhinney, PhD, RD , Department of Agriculture, Nutrition & Human Ecology, Prairie Vie A&M University, Prairie View, TX
Andrea McDonald, MS , Department of Agriculture, Nutrition & Human Ecology, Prairie Vie A&M University, Prairie View, TX
Background: Children's low levels of physical activity (PA) are linked to high levels of electronic media use (EMU)(e.g., television or computer). Parental rules and restrictions at home may help lower levels of EMU among children, which can further enhance children's PA levels.

Purpose: To examine the association between parental rules and restrictions for children's EMU and PA levels.

Methods: Parents (N=298) of fourth graders from seven predominantly Hispanic schools in rural central Texas completed a questionnaire about factors related to childhood obesity. The current study focused on subscales related to parental rules for EMU and children's PA. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the correlation between parental rules and children's PA levels.

Results: The hypothesized two-factor CFA model provided an adequate model fit (CFI=.939, RMSEA=.059). Many parents have strict rules for TV viewing and related behaviors at home (e.g., “Not too much TV/DVDs”, 48.3%; “Less than 2 hours TV/DVD per day; 47.0%”; “No internet without permission”, 62.1%). A statistically significant correlation (γ=.163, p=.04) was observed between parental rules and child's PA level. More PA in a 7-day period was observed among children whose parents limited their media use versus parents who did not.

Conclusion: Higher PA levels were reported for children whose parents restricted their EMU. Parents should set specific rules limiting children's media use at home as a means for improving children's PA levels.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related nursing
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Learners will be able to describe how parental rules for children's electronic media use impact children's physical activity levels. Learners will be able to identify ways for increasing children's physical activity levels. Learners will be able to describe the importance of parental involvement in children's health status.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working directly on the data collection, analysis, and dissemination of the project based on which my abstract was developed. As a junior researcher in Health Education, my research interests include child and adolescent health, health disparities, and international health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4371.0: Physical Activity Across the Lifespan: Influence of Technology, Policy, and the Built Environment