TVs in the bedrooms of children: does it impact health and behavior?
OBJECTIVE
To (1) determine socio-demographic characteristics associated with a TV in the bedroom (BTV) and (2) examine relationship of BTV, independent of total viewing time, with social and behavioral characteristics.


METHODS
Children 6-17 years from the 2007 US National Survey of Children's Health were included (n=48,687). BTV, daily TV viewing time, demographic, behavioral and social outcomes (community involvement, social skills, health habits and status, and family) were examined using logistic regression, and adjusted for total viewing time.


RESULTS
Overall prevalence of BTV was 49.3% in American children. Older age, non-Hispanic Black (71.3%), Hispanics (56.3%), higher level of poverty (>56.2%), non two-parent biological family structure (>62.6%), Midwest (47.1%), Northeast (46.7%), South Atlantic (56.4%) and South Central (59.8%) region of the country were associated with higher odds of BTV. Female gender (52.7%) and residence in Alaska (33.0%) were associated with lower prevalence of BTV. BTV was associated with higher prevalence of exhibiting problematic social behaviors (29%) and overweight status (44%). BTV was significantly associated with lower prevalence of regular family meals (13%), engagement in school (16%), participation in extracurricular activities (31%), regularly sleeping enough (20%), and participation in community service (25%) after adjustment for total viewing time.


CONCLUSIONS
BTV appears associated with more social and behavioral indices than previously reported, in addition to total viewing time.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1215, USA. susan-sisson@ouhsc.edu
Susan B
SB
Sisson
Stephanie T
ST
Broyles
Robert L
RL
Newton
Birgitta L
BL
Baker
Steven D
SD
Chernausek
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D001513:Beds; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000208:ethnology*; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States