Researcher(s)
- Leah Prentice, Nutritional Science, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Shannon Robson, Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences, University of Delaware
Abstract
Background: Screen use has increased in children and expanded beyond television screens. Television screen use has been shown to negatively impact diet quality in children, however, the effects of other forms of screen media on diet are not well-studied.
Purpose: To examine the association between screen presence at dinner and diet quality in children.
Methods: Baseline data from 6-12 year-old children enrolled in an ongoing clinical trial were used to examine the relationship between screen presence and diet quality. A questionnaire about screen presence during dinner (yes/no) was self-reported by the parent for TV and other screens (excluding TV) for seven days. Three days of diet records were collected and the simple Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2020) algorithm was applied to assess diet quality, with higher scores indicating higher diet quality. Means and frequencies were used to describe demographic characteristics, screen presence, and HEI-2020 total scores. Linear regression examined the association between the independent variable (screen presence) and the dependent variable (HEI-2020 total score). Demographics associated with the dependent variable were included as covariates.
Results: Thirty children (9.2 ± 1.9 years, 96.4% non-Hispanic or Latino) with screen presence reported for > 3 dinners and dietary data were included in this analysis. A total of 43% of dinners reported having a screen present. On average, 25.8% reported TV on during dinner and 17.2% reported other screens. The mean HEI-2020 score was 45.0, ranging from 23.9 to 64.3. TV screen presence or other screen presence was not significantly associated with diet quality.
Conclusion: Given the increase in screen use, this merits further investigation in a larger sample with an explicit purpose to examine this relationship. Screen presence at dinner and dietary data were not collected on the same days, which may have limited findings.