title: Time 2 tlk 2nite: use of electronic media by adolescents during family meals and associations with demographic characteristics, family characteristics, and foods served.
abstract: We examined the frequency of adolescents' use of electronic media (ie, television/movie watching, text messaging, talking on the telephone, listening to music with headphones, and playing with hand-held games) at family meals and examined associations with demographic characteristics, rules about media use, family characteristics, and the types of foods served at meals using an observational, cross-sectional design. Data were drawn from two coordinated, population-based studies of adolescents (Project Eating Among Teens 2010) and their parents (Project Families and Eating Among Teens). Surveys were completed during 2009-2010. Frequent television/movie watching during family meals by youth was reported by 25.5% of parents. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated significantly higher odds of mealtime media use (P<0.05) for girls and older teens. In addition, higher odds of mealtime media use (P<0.05) were also seen among those whose parents had low education levels or were black or Asian; having parental rules about media use significantly reduced these odds. Frequent mealtime media use was significantly associated with lower scores on family communication (P<0.05) and scores indicating less importance placed on mealtimes (P<0.001). Furthermore, frequent mealtime media use was associated with lower odds of serving green salad, fruit, vegetables, 100% juice, and milk at meals, whereas higher odds were seen for serving sugar-sweetened beverages (P<0.05). The ubiquitous use of mealtime media by adolescents and differences by sex, race/ethnicity, age, and parental rules suggest that supporting parents in their efforts to initiate and follow-through on setting mealtime media use rules may be an important public health strategy.
authors.forename: Jayne A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fulkerson
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Loth
authors.forename: Meg
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruening
authors.forename: Jerica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berge
authors.forename: Marla E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumark-Sztainer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone; D003146:Communications Media; D003201:Computers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D004581:Electronics; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Adolescents; Family meals; Healthful foods; Media; Parents