Modifying the Home Television Watching Environment

MODIFYING THE HOME TELEVISION WATCHING ENVIRONMENT

OVERVIEW

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: Children four through seven years of age who are at or above the 75^th percentile for age- and sex-standardized Body Mass Index (BMI)

Modifying the Home Television Watching Environment is a program designed to reduce TV and computer screen time among young children at or above the 75^th percentile for Body Mass Index (BMI). A monitoring device called “TV Allowance” is installed on each television, computer, and video game console in the family home. TV Allowance both monitors and controls the amount of time spent viewing TVs, computers, and video games. Each family member is assigned a four-digit code in order to turn on these devices. Children have their usage levels budgeted, where program staff reduce the child’s usage time by 10% each month from the baseline usage level. Staff continue to reduce the budgeted time until it is reduced by 50% of the baseline level. When study children reach their budgeted time, they are not able to turn on these electronic devices for the rest of the week. Other family members’ viewing times are not budgeted. In cases where children are under-budget for their viewing time, they can earn $0.25 for each half-hour they are under-budget—for a total of $2.00 per week. Parents are asked to provide encouragement and praise when their children reduce their viewing time and for engaging in physical activity. A Star Chart is used to reward children for reducing their viewing time and for engaging in physical activity. When children reach the 50% reduced viewing time within six months, the Star Chart is suspended and substituted with monthly newsletters, which provide families with tips on staying physically active.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Epstein LH, Roemmich JN, Robinson JL, Paluch RA, Winiewicz DD, Fuerch JH, Robinson TN. (2008). A Randomized Trial of the Effects of Reducing Television Viewing and Computer Use on Body Mass Index in Young Children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 162(3):239-245.

Evaluated population: A total of 70 families participated in the study. Among the study children, 80% had a BMI score above the 85^th percentile (overweight and obese), and 44% had a BMI score above the 95^th percentile (obese). The mean age of study children was six years.

Approach: Families were recruited through newspaper advertisements, flyers, and direct mailings. Families were then contacted, via telephone, for an initial screen; if interested, families attended an orientation, where they completed a questionnaire assessing the number of TVs, video game consoles, VCRs, DVDs, and computers in the home.

To be eligible, children had to be between four and seven years of age, have a BMI score either at or above the 75^th percentile, watch TV and/or play computer games at least 14 hours per week, have no medical condition prohibiting physical activity, have unlimited access to TV, and have family agreement allowing TV tracking devices for the duration of the study. After stratifying families by child sex, families were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=36) or the control group (n=34).

Screen time was monitored through a monitoring device attached to each TV, video game console, and computer; BMI was calculated through assessing height and weight; physical activity was assessed through an activity monitor; energy intake was assessed through a self-report survey. The study assessed children’s progress for up to two years.

Children assigned to the control group were given unfettered access to TV and computer viewing. They received $2.00 per week for participating in the study. Parents of the control group participants were sent newsletters, providing parenting tips and age-appropriate child activities and recipes.

Results: The program was found to reduce screen time and energy intake but was not found to increase physical activity.

There were significant impacts on BMI at the six- and 12-month follow-ups; however, impacts dissipated by the 24-month follow-up. A subgroup analysis found greater decrease in BMI among children belonging to families of lower socioeconomic status, and impacts were found at all follow-ups for this subgroup.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

References:

SUMMARY & CATEGORIZATION

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 6 years of age

Program components: Home-based

Measured outcomes: Physical Health

KEYWORDS: Children (3-11), Parent/Family Component, Nutrition, Health Status/Conditions, Other Physical Health

Program information last updated on 1/11/11.

		© Child Trends 2004