title: Physical activity and screen time: trends in U.S. children aged 9-13 years, 2002-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined trends of physical activity and screen time among nationally representative samples of children aged 9-13 years to explore whether children overall are becoming less physically active and less likely to be in compliance with screen time recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed Youth Media Campaign Longitudinal Survey data for trends and demographic patterns of free time and organized physical activity, and hours and minutes of watching television and playing video or computer games. Child-parent dyads for 2002 (N = 3114), 2004 (N = 5177), and 2006 (N = 1200) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the day before the interview, and for free time physical activity in the past week, children reported a significant increase in physical activity from 2002-2006. Screen time levels were stable overall; 76.4% of children met the recommendations of 2 hours or less of daily screen time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of physical activity among U.S. children aged 9-13 years were stable, or levels slightly improved from 2002-2006. Except for some subgroup differences, trends for compliance with screen time recommendations were also stable from 2002-2006 for U.S. children aged 9-13 years.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Communications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huhman
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fulton
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Carrie D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Patnode
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013690:Television; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*