AbstractIntroduction: World Health Organization report ‘Sedentary lifestyle: a global public health problem’ identified sedentary lifestyle as among the top ten leading causes of death and disability in the world. Various international and national organizations have recommended that children above the age of 2 years should not spend more than 2 hours a day in front of the screen. Though there are many potential academic and social benefits for TV/ Computer use, it leads to many negative health outcomes such as unhealthy eating, sedentary lifestyle, physical inactivity, low academic performance,
and aggressive behaviour. It was also demonstrated that reducing screen time was associated with reduction in body weight, body fat, and obesity prevalence. In the long term sedentary behaviour have been identified as major independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity for non-communicable diseases. It is one of risk factor which can be modified to counteract the negative effects that may follow in adulthood. Methodology: The aim of the present study was to understand the screen time behaviours and its associated factors among adolescents. It was a cross-sectional survey among 252 school going adolescents aged 11 to 13 years, studying at private aided schools of Thrissur district, Kerala, South India, selected using a convenient sampling
technique. A structured self administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding socio demographic personal data and screen time behaviour; screen time, and habit of consuming food in front of television. Analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Results: The mean age of adolescents was 12.29±0.5 years. Though the mean screen time was found to be 1.15±0.75 (less than 2hours/day on weekdays), 7.5% of them were watching screen for more than the recommended duration during Saturday and Sunday resp. On weekends the mean duration of screen time was found to be more than 2 hours,
but 68.7% and 75.8% of them were engaged in more than the recommended duration. It was also found that 38.9% of them were watching television at least once a day during meals. A statistically significant association was found between more than the recommended average screen time (>2hours/days) during weekdays and male gender (p<0.05), occupation of father bring private job (p<0.01) and shorter distance from home to school (p<0.05). Number of siblings having two or less was significantly associated with engaging in more than 2 hours of screen time during weekends at 0.05 level. Conclusion: The present study findings suggest that adolescents are spending more than the recommended duration in front of screen and necessitates actions at family, school, community, government and policy level actions to reduce sedentary
behaviour associated with television, videotape, and video game use.
Keywords: Screen Time; Behaviours; Adolescents; Sedentary; Lifestyle.
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