Associations between screen-based activities, physical activity, and dietary habits in Mexican schoolchildren

Authors: SOLTERO, ERICA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); JÁUREGUI, ALEJANDRA - National Institute Of Public Health; HERNANDEZ, EDITH - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); BARQUERA, SIMÓN - National Institute Of Public Health; JÁUREGUI, EDTNA - University Of Guadalajara; LOPEZ Y TAYLOR, JUAN - University Of Guadalajara; ORTIZ-HERNÁNDEZ, LUIS - Metropolitan Autonomous University; LÉVESQUE, LUCIE - Queen'S University - Canada; LEE, REBECCA - Arizona State University

Submitted to: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2021
Publication Date: 6/24/2021
Citation: Soltero, E.G., Jauregui, A., Hernandez, E., Barquera, S., Jauregui, E., Lopez y Taylor, J., Ortiz-Hernandez, L., Levesque, L., Lee, R.E. 2021. Associations between screen-based activities, physical activity, and dietary habits in Mexican schoolchildren. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 18(13):6788. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136788.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136788

Interpretive Summary: Among today's youth, technology has become a large part of everyday life, including among children in Mexico. This use of technology extends beyond television watching, to video games, computer use, and the use of mobile phones for texting, social media, and the use of applications. Increased use of technology can lead to decreased energy expenditure, increased energy intake, and lack of sleep, all of which can contribute to obesity among youth. Despite the evidence demonstrating that screen-based behaviors are linked to obesity, few studies have examined how different types of screen-based activities impact obesity-related behaviors including diet and physical activity in Mexican boys and girls. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of television watching, video game, and computer use on diet and physical activity in Mexican boys and girls. All screen-based activities were associated with unhealthy dietary habits. We found that television watching was associated with less participation in organized physical activity and sports team participation. Interestingly, computer and video game use were associated with greater participation in organized activity and sprots team participation. The link between increased activity and video game and computer use may be explained by income. Video and computing systems are often costly and use of these devices was higher among youth from high socioeconomic backgrounds. In Mexico, organized activities and sports teams are costly extracurricular activities. Thus, youth who may be able to afford video and computing systems may also have greater access to organized activity and sports teams. Boys, particularly older boys, engaged in more overall screen-based activities compared to girls. Whereas income was significantly associated with increased video game and computer use among girls. These findings suggest a need for sex- and age-specific strategies that acknowledge the differential use of screen-based activities across sex and age. Future research should continue to identify underlying correlates linking screen-based activities with health behaviors to inform strategies to reduce screen-time in Mexican children and reduce obesity.

Technical Abstract: Screen-based activities are associated with increased risk of obesity and contribute to physical inactivity and poor dietary habits. The primary aim of this study was to examine the associations among screen-based activities, physical activity, and dietary habits in school-aged children in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Mexico City, Mexico. The secondary aim was to examine these associations across sex. The School Physical Activity and Nutrition survey was used to assess screen-based activities (TV watching, video game use, computer use), physical activity, and dietary habits. Organized activity/sports participation, unhealthy dietary habits, and household income were correlated with screen-based activities. While TV watching was associated with decreased participation in organized activity/sports participation, computer and video game use was associated with increased organized activity/sports participation. Boys engaged in more TV watching and video game use compared to girls. All screen-based activities were associated with age among boys; whereas video game and computer use were associated with higher income among girls. These findings suggest a need for sex- and age-specific strategies that acknowledge the differential use of screen-based activities across sex and age. Future research should continue to identify underlying correlates linking screen-based activities with health behaviors to inform strategies to reduce screen-time in Mexican children.