Table 3.

Children’s weekly screen media use and associations with diet quality.


	Children’s media use	Children’s HEI scores	P-value^a
		Mean (SD)

Total screen media use, hours per week	17.7 (14.1)	r = − 0.26	<0.001
Stratified by ad-exposure^b
Ad-supported TV
As continuous, mean (SD)
Hours per week	1.0 (2.3)	r = − 0.19	<0.001
As ordinal, n (%)
0 h per week	389 (72.7%)	55.3 (9.3)	<0.001
1 –7 h per week	130 (24.3%)	52.9 (9.5)
8–14 h per week	15 (2.8%)	46.5 (6.4)
14–21 h per week	0 (0.0%)	− (−)
≥21 h per week	1 (0.2%)	47.7 (−)
Mixed ad-exposure media
As continuous, mean (SD)
Hours per week	6.6 (9.8)	r = − 0.20	<0.001
As ordinal, n (%)
0 h per week	63 (11.8%)	55.8 (10.1)	<0.01
1 –7 h per week	322 (60.2%)	55.2 (8.8)
8–14 h per week	79 (14.8%)	53.6 (10.5)
14–21 h per week	39 (7.3%)	52.4 (9.8)
≥ 21 h per week	32 (6.0%)	49.2 (8.2)
Ad-free TV, DVD or VHS
As continuous, mean (SD)
Hours per week	9.7 (8.4)	r = − 0.16	<0.001
As ordinal, n (%)
0 h per week	60 (11.2%)	57.7 (9.0)	<0.001
1 –7 h per week	191 (35.7%)	55.8 (8.9)
8–14 h per week	155 (29.0%)	53.1 (9.3)
14–21 h per week	78 (14.6.%)	52.3 (10.6)
≥ 21 h per week	51 (9.5%)	53.1 (8.3)

Among 535 children and one parent enrolled in a cohort study who completed a multiple day food diary assessment. R = Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Scatterplots confirmed associations were linear in each instance.

P-values are from Pearson’s correlation coefficients or one-way ANOVA.

A d-supported TV included viewing of any of the six predefined ad-supported children’s TV networks (Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney XD, the HUB, Nickelodeon, or Nicktoons). Ad-free TV included viewing of any of the five predefined ad-free children’s TV networks (Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Nick Jr., PBS Kids or Sprout) and was combined with DVD or VHS viewing. Mixed ad-exposure included mobile applications, Internet and video or computer games.