##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

Ronan Sexton

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between children’s physical activity levels and time spent on screen based activity during a typical school day. This study involved 273 pupils at Key Stage 2 in six different primary schools in Northern Ireland.

Results for physical activity were obtained by attaching a pedometer at the waist of each member of the cohort at the beginning of the school day. The pedometer was then removed at the end of the school day and the number of steps taken was recorded. Time spent on screen based activity was measured in the form of a questionnaire. Each subject was asked how long in minutes they spent on the following screen based activities; watching television, playing I-pad, using a mobile phone, using a personal computer (PC), playing a console e.g. X-Box, PlayStation.

Results from the pedometers indicated that children at Key Stage 2 take an average of 3680 steps on a typical school day, with a slight variation between genders. Results from the screen time questionnaires suggest that children aged 8-11 spend an average 4.5 hours on screen based activity on a typical school day. The majority of this time spent on screen based activity was spent playing an I-pad or android with an average time of 63 minutes.

Statistical analysis, in the form of a spearman rank test found that there was a negative correlation between time spent on physical activity and time spent on screen based activity. Further research into the links between children’s physical activity levels and time spent on screen based activity is needed.

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##

Section
Articles