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Comparative Study
. 2009;4(4):353-9.
doi: 10.3109/17477160902934777.

Profiles of sedentary behavior in children and adolescents: the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2006

Susan B Sisson  1 , Timothy S Church, Corby K Martin, Catrine Tudor-Locke, Steven R Smith, Claude Bouchard, Conrad P Earnest, Tuomo Rankinen, Robert L Newton, Peter T Katzmarzyk
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Profiles of sedentary behavior in children and adolescents: the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2006

Susan B Sisson et al. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2009.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prevalence of time spent in sedentary behaviors (e.g., TV/video and computer use) among youth in the US.

Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-06) provided data to examine sedentary behavior across age groups (2-5, 6-11, and 12-15 years of age), ethnic groups (European [EA], African [AA], and Mexican American [MA]), and body mass index (BMI) categories (normal weight, overweight, obese).

Results: The sample included 8 707 (50.7% boys) children aged 2 to 15 years. Seventy percent of the sample was normal weight, 18.1% was overweight, and 11.5% was obese. The total proportion of young people engaged in TV/video viewing, computer use, and total screen time > or = 2 hours daily was 33.0%, 6.7%, and 47.3%, respectively. More boys (49.4%) than girls (45.0%); older (12-15 years: 56.0%) versus younger children (2-5 years: 35.3% and 6-11 years: 49.1%); AA (66.1%) versus EA (42.5%) and MA (46.1%); obese (58.5%) versus overweight (50.8%) versus normal weight (44.6%); and low and middle income (<$25 K: 51.4% and $25-45 K: 51.2%) versus high income (>$45 K: 42.6%) children spent > or = 2 hours daily in screen time.

Conclusion: Nearly half (47%) of US children exceed > or = 2 hours/day of time in sedentary behavior. Further, it appears there are gender, age, ethnic, BMI-defined weight status, and income differences in exceeding > or = 2 hours/day in sedentary behavior. These results will be useful in planning targeted interventions at those populations with a higher prevalence of sedentary behavior.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: none

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution (95% CI) of sample across categories of hours per day in A) TV/video, B) computer, C) total screen time by cycles of the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in children and adolescents aged 2 to 15 years of age.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proportion (SE) of children and adolescents watching ≥ 2 hours per day of TV/video, computers and total screen time by age group (2 to 5 y, 6 to 11 y, and 12 to 15 y) in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–06.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proportion (SE) of children and adolescents watching ≥ 2 hours per day of TV/video, computers and total screen time by ethnicity (African American (AA), Mexican American (MA), and European American (EA)) in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–06.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Proportion (SE) of children and adolescents watching ≥ 2 hours per day of TV/video, computers and total screen time by international BMI classification (normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), and obese) in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–06.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Proportion (SE) of children and adolescents watching ≥ 2 hours per day of TV/video, computers and total screen time by annual household income in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–06.
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