The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 151, Issue 4 , Pages 369-373.e4, October 2007

Parental Influences on Youth Television Viewing

  • Danielle T. Barradas, BS

      Affiliations

    • Program in Nutrition and Health Sciences, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
    • Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Danielle T. Barradas, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS K-46, Atlanta, GA 30341.
    • ,
  • Janet E. Fulton, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Heidi M. Blanck, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Marian Huhman, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.

Received 7 June 2006; received in revised form 16 March 2007; accepted 30 April 2007. published online 28 August 2007.

Objective

To assess associations among youth television (TV) viewing and parental TV viewing, parental knowledge of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations to limit children’s TV viewing time to ≤2 hours per day (knowledge), and parental limits on the frequency of children’s TV viewing (rules).

Study design

Adult participants in the 2002 Styles surveys answered questions about their weekly TV viewing, knowledge, and rules. TV viewing time of children of the adult participants (520 boys and 525 girls) age 10 to 18 years was also collected. Associations between hours of child TV viewing and parental TV viewing, parental knowledge, and parental rules were quantified using linear regression techniques.

Results

Variables included in multivariate regression models accounted for 8% to 18% of the variance in TV viewing among boys and girls. Parent TV viewing was significantly associated with TV viewing in 10- to 12-year-old and 16- to 18-year-old boys and girls. Knowledge was not associated with TV viewing in boys and girls in this sample. Rules were associated with TV viewing in boys and girls of all ages.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that parental TV viewing and rules limiting their child’s TV time may play an important role in children’s weekly TV viewing time.

AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics, BMI, Body mass index, TV, Television

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 The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PII: S0022-3476(07)00448-9

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.04.069

Refers to article:

  • First Do No Harm: Why Have Parents and Pediatricians Missed the Boat on Children and Media?

    Victor C. Strasburger
    The Journal of Pediatrics October 2007 (Vol. 151, Issue 4, Pages 334-336)

  • Associations between Media Viewing and Language Development in Children Under Age 2 Years , 08 August 2007

    Frederick J. Zimmerman, Dimitri A. Christakis, Andrew N. Meltzoff
    The Journal of Pediatrics October 2007 (Vol. 151, Issue 4, Pages 364-368)

The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 151, Issue 4 , Pages 369-373.e4, October 2007

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