title: Investigating the influence of eating habits, body weight and television programme preferences on television viewing time and domestic computer usage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study explored the influence of eating habits, body weight and television programme preference on television viewing time and domestic computer usage, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and home media environment indicators. In addition, potential substitution or complementarity in screen time was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual level data were collected via questionnaires that were administered to a random sample of 2,946 Germans. The econometric analysis employed a seemingly unrelated bivariate ordered probit model to conjointly estimate television viewing time and time engaged in domestic computer usage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Television viewing and domestic computer usage represent two independent behaviours in both genders and across all age groups. Dietary habits have a significant impact on television watching with less healthy food choices associated with increasing television viewing time. Body weight is found to be positively correlated with television screen time in both men and women, and overweight individuals have a higher propensity for heavy television viewing. Similar results were obtained for age groups where an increasing body mass index (BMI) in adults over 24 years old is more likely to be positively associated with a higher duration of television watching. With respect to dietary habits of domestic computer users, participants aged over 24 years of both genders seem to adopt more healthy dietary patterns. A downward trend in the BMI of domestic computer users was observed in women and adults aged 25-60 years. On the contrary, young domestic computer users 18-24 years old have a higher body weight than non-users. Television programme preferences also affect television screen time with clear differences to be observed between genders and across different age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In order to reduce total screen time, health interventions should target different types of screen viewing audiences separately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Development, Lab of Marketing and Management, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raptou
authors.affiliation: GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papastefanou
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstadinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mattas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BMI; domestic computer usage; eating habits; food consumption frequencies; interdependency; seemingly unrelated bivariate ordered probit model; television programme preference; television viewing time