Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Aug 15;10(8):1392.
doi: 10.3390/children10081392.

Regional Socioeconomic Deprivation in Germany and Adherence to the 24-h Movement Guidelines among Children and Adolescents

Vivien Suchert  1 , Reiner Hanewinkel  1 , Clemens Neumann  1 , Julia Hansen  1
Affiliations

Regional Socioeconomic Deprivation in Germany and Adherence to the 24-h Movement Guidelines among Children and Adolescents

Vivien Suchert et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

To examine the relationship between regional socioeconomic deprivation and adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines among children and adolescents, a cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 17,433 students aged 9-17 participated in a survey in winter 2021/2022. Daily screen time (ST), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sleep behavior were outcome variables. The German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (GISD), a regional socioeconomic objective measure, was the exposure variable. Associations between GISD and health behaviors were examined using regression models. Models were adjusted for age, gender, school type, and individual self-reported socioeconomic status (SES). The proportions of meeting the MVPA, ST, and sleep duration guidelines were 14%, 22%, and 34%, respectively. A total of 2.3% met all guidelines. Students from the most deprived communities were half as likely to meet all three guidelines compared to students from the most affluent regions (OR = 0.49 [0.28; -0.03], p = 0.010). There was a consistent relationship between GISD and lower levels of adherence to screen time guidelines (most deprived compared to most affluent: OR = 0.49 [0.38; 0.64], p < 0.001). There was no association between GISD and adherence to sleep time guidelines. We found mixed results for the association between GISD and MVPA. Regional SES appears to be an important factor associated with screen time. Screen time should be limited through intervention programs, especially in disadvantaged areas. Parents should be made aware of their children's increased media consumption. Recommendations for screen time should be clearly communicated, as should the health disadvantages of increased media consumption in childhood and adolescence.

Keywords: inequality; moderate to vigorous physical activity; observational study; screen time; sleep; social gradient; young people.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose. An honorarium, grant, or other form of payment was not given to any of the authors to produce the manuscript. The study is funded by the DAK-Gesundheit (German Health Insurance). The funders had no role in the study’s design; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Association between screen time and quintiles of the German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation, adjusted for age, gender, school type, and perceived social status.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Wilhite K., Booker B., Huang B.H., Antczak D., Corbett L., Parker P., Noetel M., Rissel C., Lonsdale C., Del Pozo Cruz B., et al. Combinations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep and Their Associations with Physical, Psychological, and Educational Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Am. J. Epidemiol. 2022;192:665–679. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwac212. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Poitras V.J., Gray C.E., Borghese M.M., Carson V., Chaput J.P., Janssen I., Katzmarzyk P.T., Pate R.R., Connor Gorber S., Kho M.E., et al. Systematic review of the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and health indicators in school-aged children and youth. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 2016;41:S197–S239. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2015-0663. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Stiglic N., Viner R.M. Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews. BMJ Open. 2019;9:e023191. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023191. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Carson V., Hunter S., Kuzik N., Gray C.E., Poitras V.J., Chaput J.P., Saunders T.J., Katzmarzyk P.T., Okely A.D., Connor Gorber S., et al. Systematic review of sedentary behaviour and health indicators in school-aged children and youth: An update. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 2016;41:S240–S265. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2015-0630. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Chaput J.P., Gray C.E., Poitras V.J., Carson V., Gruber R., Olds T., Weiss S.K., Connor Gorber S., Kho M.E., Sampson M., et al. Systematic review of the relationships between sleep duration and health indicators in school-aged children and youth. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 2016;41:266–282. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2015-0627. - DOI - PubMed

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources