Obesity Prevention and Control: Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Screen Time

Task Force Finding and Rationale Statement

Definition

Screen time is time spent watching TV, videotapes, or DVDs; playing video or computer games; and surfing the Internet. Components of behavioral interventions to reduce screen time (mostly "TV time reduction") include skills building, tips, goal setting, reinforcement techniques, workbooks, messages, TV turnoff challenges, and family support.

Task Force Finding

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends behavioral interventions aimed at reducing screen time based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness for reducing measured screen time and improving weight-related outcomes among children and adolescents and in a variety of settings.

Rationale

The Task Force finding is based on evidence from 7 studies that assessed four health behavior outcomes: screen time, weight, physical activity, and nutrition (search period through July 2007). Six studies that reported screen time outcomes reported a small to moderate decrease in screen time. Four of these six studies, which reported screen time in hours/day, indicated that screen time was reduced by 36.6 min/day (range: –26.4 min/day to –55.5 min/day). Five studies reported weight-related outcomes, with all five reporting a small to moderate decrease in percent overweight or BMI. Four studies reported physical activity outcomes but results were mixed. Four studies reported nutrition outcomes, with all studies reporting small improvements in nutrition outcomes.

The interventions evaluated in this review were conducted in a variety of settings including schools, preschools and daycare centers, WIC centers, and research clinics. All studies were conducted in the United States. Most of the interventions evaluated were directed at children and adolescents. Because limited race and ethnicity data were available, it is unknown if the intervention had differential effects for different racial or ethnic groups.

Review completed: January 2008