Associations between sport and screen-entertainment with mental health problems in 5-year-old children.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have examined the benefits of regular physical activity, and risks of sedentary behaviour, in young children. This study investigated associations between participation in sports and screen-entertainment (as components of physical activity and sedentary behaviour), and emotional and behavioural problems in this population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of data from 13470 children (50.9% boys) participating in the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study. Time spent participating in sports clubs outside of school, and using screen-entertainment, was reported by the child's mother at child age 5 years, when mental health was also measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.


RESULTS
45% of children did not participate in sport clubs and 61% used screen-entertainment for >/= 2 hours per day. Children who participated in sport had fewer total difficulties; emotional, conduct, hyperactivity-inattention and peer relationship problems; and more prosocial behaviours. These relationships were similar in boys and girls. Boys and girls who used screen-entertainment for any duration, and participated in sport, had fewer emotional and behavioural problems, and more prosocial behaviours, than children who used screen-entertainment for >/= 2 hours per day and did not participate in sport.


CONCLUSIONS
Longer durations of screen-entertainment usage are not associated with mental health problems in young children. However, our findings suggest an association between sport and better mental health. Further research based on longitudinal data is required to examine causal pathways in these associations and to determine the potential role of this and other forms of physical activity in preventing mental health disorders.
Griffiths
Lucy J
LJ
MRC Centre of Epidemiology for Child Health, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK. l.griffiths@ich.ucl.ac.uk.
Dowda
Marsha
M
Dezateux
Carol
C
Pate
Russell
R
Sports Med. 2006;36(12):1019-30
17123326
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2008 Oct;43(10):765-72
18438732
Br J Psychiatry. 2000 Dec;177:534-9
11102329
BMJ. 2000 May 6;320(7244):1240-3
10797032
Child Care Health Dev. 2004 Nov;30(6):623-35
15527473
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Aug;39(8):1241-50
17762356
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008 Oct;40(10):1749-56
18799984
Pediatrics. 2004 Nov;114(5):1258-63
15520105
J Pediatr Psychol. 2007 May;32(4):448-52
17012738
Int J Epidemiol. 2005 Dec;34(6):1378-86
16109734
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1997 Jul;38(5):581-6
9255702
Pediatrics. 2004 Apr;113(4):708-13
15060216
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2002 Nov;37(11):544-50
12395145
Pediatrics. 2007 Oct;120(4):762-9
17908763
Pediatrics. 2001 Feb;107(2):423-6
11158483
Soc Sci Med. 2000 Oct;51(7):1121-7; discussion 1129-33
11005397
Lancet. 1996 Jun 29;347(9018):1789-92
8667922
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 May;32(5):963-75
10795788
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Jul 19;(3):CD004691
16856055
Sports Med. 2000 Mar;29(3):167-80
10739267
Int Rev Psychiatry. 2003 Feb-May;15(1-2):185-7
12745331
Psychosom Med. 2004 May-Jun;66(3):336-42
15184692
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2007 Oct;42(10):851-6
17639309
Am J Epidemiol. 2006 May 1;163(9):829-37
16524956
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1998 Oct;37(10):1041-8
9785715
Health Educ Res. 2008 Oct;23(5):770-90
17984295
Int J Epidemiol. 2005 Jun;34(3):688-95
15737964
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;48(4):400-403
19242383
Pediatrics. 2009 May;123(5):1263-8
19403489
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004 Aug;158(8):818-23
15289257
Obes Res. 2003 Mar;11(3):420-5
12634440
BMJ. 2006 Feb 4;332(7536):269-70
16455721
BMC Public Health. 2007 Jul 12;7:155
17626617
Addiction. 2007 Jan;102(1):126-35
17207130