Does children's screen time predict requests for advertised products? Cross-sectional and prospective analyses.
OBJECTIVE
To examine children's screen media exposure and requests for advertised toys and food/drinks.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Twelve elementary schools in northern California.


METHODS
Eight hundred twenty-seven third grade children participated at baseline; 386 students in 6 schools were followed up for 20 months.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Child self-reported requests for advertised toys and foods/drinks.


RESULTS
At baseline, children's screen media time was significantly associated with concurrent requests for advertised toys (Spearman r = 0.15 [TV viewing] and r = 0.20 [total screen time]; both P<.001) and foods/drinks (Spearman r = 0.16 [TV viewing] and r = 0.18 [total screen time]; both P<.001). In prospective analysis, children's screen media time at baseline was significantly associated with their mean number of toy requests 7 to 20 months later (Spearman r = 0.21 [TV viewing] and r = 0.24 [total screen time]; both P<.001) and foods/drinks requests (Spearman r = 0.14 [TV viewing] and r = 0.16 [total screen time]; both P<.01). After adjusting for baseline requests and sociodemographic variables, the relationship between screen media exposure and future requests for advertised foods/drinks remained significant for total TV viewing and total screen media exposure. The relationship with future requests for toys remained significant for total screen media exposure.


CONCLUSIONS
Screen media exposure is a prospective risk factor for children's requests for advertised products. Future experimental studies on children's health- and consumer-related outcomes are warranted.
Chamberlain
Lisa J
LJ
Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, 750 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. lchamberlain@stanford.edu
Wang
Yun
Y
Robinson
Thomas N
TN
D000329:Advertising / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001628:Beverages; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors