Television viewing, reading, physical activity and brain development among young South Korean children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between television (TV) viewing, reading, physical activity (PA), and participation in these behaviors with caregivers, and cognitive and linguistic development among young South Korean children aged 0-5 years.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Findings are based on 1870 children in the Korea Children and Youth Survey. All measures were questionnaire-derived.


RESULTS
Children who participated in PA for 1-3h/week and for >3h/week were more likely to show high cognitive development (OR=1.45, 95%CI: 1.06-2.00 and OR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.11-2.23; referent: <1h/week). Reading for 1-3h/day and for >3h/day were associated with increased odds of high cognitive development (weekdays: OR=1.89, 95%CI: 1.32-2.41 and OR=2.47, 95%CI: 1.29-4.73; weekends: OR=1.87, 95%CI: 1.39-2.54 and OR=3.34, 95%CI: 1.70-6.55; referent: <1h/day). TV viewing for 1-3h/day on weekends was associated with increased odds of high linguistic development (OR=1.45, 95%CI: 1.07-1.94); referent: <1h/day). When children participated in TV viewing, reading, and PA daily with caregivers, they were more likely to show high cognitive and/or linguistic development than those who engaged in these behaviors 1-2 times/week.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings support emerging evidence that PA and specific types of sedentary behavior have positive impacts on brain development during early childhood. Furthermore, engaging in different types of behavior more frequently with caregivers, regardless of type, may be important for brain development.
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Canada.
Eun-Young
EY
Lee
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Canada.
John C
JC
Spence
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Canada. Electronic address: vlcarson@ualberta.ca.
Valerie
V
Carson
D044466:Asian People; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D011932:Reading; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013690:Television
Child preschool; Growth &; Infant; Language; Physical activity; Toddler; development