A nationwide survey on the daily screen time of Iranian children and adolescents: The CASPIAN - IV study

• Main Authors: Mohsen Jari, Mostafa Qorbani, Mohammad Esmaeil Motlagh, Ramin Heshmat, Gelayol Ardalan, Roya Kelishadi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Preventive Medicine
• Subjects: Children and adolescents; computer; Iran; television watching
• Online Access: http://www.ijpvmjournal.net/article.asp?issn=2008-7802;year=2014;volume=5;issue=2;spage=224;epage=229;aulast=Jari

Background: Leisure time activity is an important life-style habit. This study aims to determine the screen time of a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the fourth survey of a surveillance system. The participants consisted of 14880 students, with aged range from 6 to 18 years, living in 30 provinces in Iran. Screen time, i.e. the time spent on watching television (TV)/video and computer games during leisure time, was assessed by using the questionnaire of the Globasl Student Health Survey of the World Health Organization. Results: The study participants were 13486 school students (participation rate of 90.6%) with a mean age of 12. 47 (3.36) years. Overall, 75.6% of students were from urban and 24.4% from rural areas and 50.8% were boys respectively. Overall, 33.4% and 53% of students watched TV/video more than 2 h a day in their leisure time during school days and holidays, respectively. Likewise, 6.3% and 10.9% of students used computer more than 2 h a day in their leisure time during the school days and holidays, respectively. Overall, 47.1% of urban students and 24.2% of rural students used personal computer in their leisure time during the school days. The corresponding figures were 50.8% and 27.2% in weekends and holidays, respectively. Conclusions: The time spent on screen activities is long in a considerably high number of Iranian children and adolescents. It should be reduced by increasing the public awareness and by providing facilities for regular daily physic activity for students′ leisure times.