title: Young children's screen habits are associated with consumption of sweetened beverages independently of parental norms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the associations between children's screen habits and their consumption of sweetened beverages. Because parents might be disposed to regulate their child's screen and dietary habits in a similar direction, our specific aim was to examine whether these associations were independent of parental norms.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Swedish sample of the European Identification and prevention of dietary and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants (IDEFICS) study, parents filled in questionnaires about their 2 to 9-year-old children's (n = 1,733) lifestyle and diets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Associations between screen habits and sweetened beverage consumption were found independent of parental norms regarding sweetened beverages. A longitudinal analysis revealed that sweetened beverage consumption at 2-year follow-up was predicted by exposure to commercial TV at baseline (OR 1.4, 95 % CI 1.1-1.9). Cross-sectional analysis showed that the likelihood of consuming sweetened beverages at least 1-3 times per week increased for each hour/day watching television (OR 1.5, 95 % CI 1.2-1.9), and for being exposed to commercials (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.3-2.1). TV viewing time and commercial exposure contributed to the associations independently of each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results strengthen the assumption that it is possible to influence children's dietary habits through their TV habits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 320, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden, stina.olafsdottir@ped.gu.se.
authors.forename: Steingerdur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olafsdottir
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eiben
authors.forename: Hillevi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prell
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hense
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lissner
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mårild
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reisch
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*