Children's television-viewing habits and the family environment

Examining joint parent-child interactions involving infants and toddlers when introducing mobile technology

Research suggests that parents play a critical role in introducing technology to their young children and that parent-child joint engagement with technology can improve learning and social outcomes. The present mixed-methods study extends the current literature by directly observing the interactions of 30 parents with their infant or toddler child (ages 12-24 months) while introducing and engaging with familiar and novel mobile technologies. Qualitative analysis of observations yielded five overarching themes that described key content of parent-child interactions. Subthemes further clarified the types of verbal interactions of the child and of the parent, as well as issues of control over the device, activities and selection choices, skill needs/supports, and interest in the interactions. Developmental milestones and parental surveys contributed to the understanding of developmental change and family media use. Familiarity with the device influenced frequencies of identified themes with greater likelihood for fewer interactions, scaffolds and more passive screen activities with familiar technology. More varied verbal scaffolding was related to higher developmental scores. Physical scaffolding was provided infrequently, despite limited skill in the children. Counter to parental expectations, initiating and sustaining interest even for a short period of time was challenging in some cases. Outcomes suggest that parents engage in a wide array of relevant scaffolds with variability across individuals and child age. Overall, the study provides a rich and complex description of interactions and behaviors when parents introduce mobile devices to their infants and toddlers.

Development of the Intervention Materials for the HomeStyles Obesity Prevention Program for Parents of Preschoolers

Home environment is key to the development of obesity-preventing behaviors during childhood, yet few resources help preschool parents address factors at home associated with obesity risk. This paper describes creation of materials for an in-home intervention (HomeStyles) with this population. An advisory group of stakeholders and target audience members determined salient factors affecting childhood obesity to address in-home and developed program materials. The Social Cognitive Theory, Faith's Core Behavior Change Strategies to Treat Childhood Obesity, Adult Learning Theory and motivational interviewing techniques guided development of 12 guides targeting strategies parents can use to shape the home environment. Interviews were conducted to determine effectiveness of the guides. Cognitive testing of guide design (n = 251) and content (n = 261) occurred in English and Spanish in New Jersey and Arizona with parents and home visitation staff who would present the guides. Interviews investigated perceptions of content usefulness and parent comprehension. Findings were also examined in light of theoretical underpinnings. Both home visitation staff and parents felt the guides were very readable and useful. Parents appreciated use of motivational interviewing techniques and Adult Learning Theory. Current research is testing these guides through an in-home, randomized control trial.

Growing Right Onto Wellness (GROW): a family-centered, community-based obesity prevention randomized controlled trial for preschool child-parent pairs

Growing Right Onto Wellness (GROW) is a randomized controlled trial that tests the efficacy of a family-centered, community-based, behavioral intervention to prevent childhood obesity among preschool-aged children. Focusing on parent-child pairs, GROW utilizes a multi-level framework, which accounts for macro (i.e., built-environment) and micro (i.e., genetics) level systems that contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic. Six hundred parent-child pairs will be randomized to a 3-year healthy lifestyle intervention or a 3-year school readiness program. Eligible children are enrolled between ages 3 and 5, are from minority communities, and are not obese. The principal site for the GROW intervention is local community recreation centers and libraries. The primary outcome is childhood body mass index (BMI) trajectory at the end of the three-year study period. In addition to other anthropometric measurements, mediators and moderators of growth are considered, including genetics, accelerometry, and diet recall. GROW is a staged intensity intervention, consisting of intensive, maintenance, and sustainability phases. Throughout the study, parents build skills in nutrition, physical activity, and parenting, concurrently forming new social networks. Participants are taught goal-setting, self-monitoring, and problem solving techniques to facilitate sustainable behavior change. The GROW curriculum uses low health literacy communication and social media to communicate key health messages. The control arm is administered to both control and intervention participants. By conducting this trial in public community centers, and by implementing a family-centered approach to sustainable healthy childhood growth, we aim to develop an exportable community-based intervention to address the expanding public health crisis of pediatric obesity.

Sedentary behaviours and socio-economic status in Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to describe the influence of socio-economic status (SES) on the prevalence sedentary behaviours among Spanish adolescents.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from Spanish adolescents from the Alimentación y Valoración del Estado Nutricional de los Adolescentes (AVENA) Study (2002). A national representative sample of 1776 adolescents aged 13-18.5 years provided information about time spent watching television (TV), playing with computer or videogames and studying. Parental education and occupation were assessed as SES. Participants were categorized by gender, age, parental education and occupation. Logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS

No gender differences were found for TV viewing. For computer and videogames use (weekdays), more boys played >3 h/day (P < 0.001), whereas a higher percentage of girls reported studying >3 h/day (P < 0.001). Among boys, parental education and occupation were inversely associated with TV viewing, parental occupation directly associated with study and maternal education inversely with computer and videogames use during weekdays (all P < 0.05). For girls, parental occupation was inversely associated with TV viewing.

CONCLUSION

Spanish adolescents presented different sedentary patterns according to age, gender and SES. Boys reported more time engaged in electronic games, whereas girls reported more time studying. Parental occupation had more influence than parental education on the time spent in sedentary behaviours.