Screen Time, Physical Activity and Self-Esteem in Children: The Ulm Birth Cohort Study
by
Stefanie Braig 1,*, Jon Genuneit 1
, Viola Walter 2, Stephanie Brandt 3, Martin Wabitsch 3, Lutz Goldbeck 4,†, Hermann Brenner 2,5,6 and Dietrich Rothenbacher 1,2
, Viola Walter 2, Stephanie Brandt 3, Martin Wabitsch 3, Lutz Goldbeck 4,†, Hermann Brenner 2,5,6 and Dietrich Rothenbacher 1,2
1
Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University; Helmholtzstraße 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany
2
Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Ageing Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
3
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University, Eythstraße 24, 89075 Ulm, Germany
4
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany
5
Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
6
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Lutz Goldbeck passed away on Oct 30th 2017. He will be warmly remembered and dearly missed by all of us.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(6), 1275; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15061275
Received: 11 May 2018 / Revised: 8 June 2018 / Accepted: 14 June 2018 / Published: 16 June 2018
(This article belongs to the Collection Sedentary Behaviour and Health)
Screen time is a central activity of children’s daily life and jeopardizes mental health. However, results appear inconclusive and are often based on small cross-sectional studies. We aimed to investigate the temporal sequence of the association between screen time and self-esteem taking into account further indirect effects through family or friendship relationship. In our population-based birth cohort study (baseline November 2000–November 2001, Ulm, Germany), these relationships were explored in n = 519 11- and 13-year-old children and their parents who both provided information on children’s screen time: time spent watching television or videos (TV), time spent on computers, video game consoles, mobile devices, or cell phones; so called “other screen time”, and children’s self-esteem (KINDL-R). Time watching TV (self-reported) at age 11 was negatively associated with girls’ self-esteem at the same age but positively with an increase of self-esteem between age 11 and 13. However, the latter association was restricted to low to moderate TV viewers. In boys, a higher increase of other screen time between age 11 and age 13 was associated with lower self-reported self-esteem at age 13. Additionally, friendship relationship mediated the association between watching TV and self-esteem in girls. For parental reports similar associations were observed. These findings indicate that time sequence and potential mediators need further investigation in cohort studies with multiple assessments of screen time and self-esteem.
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Keywords:
child; mass media; mental health; self-esteem
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MDPI and ACS Style
Braig, S.; Genuneit, J.; Walter, V.; Brandt, S.; Wabitsch, M.; Goldbeck, L.; Brenner, H.; Rothenbacher, D. Screen Time, Physical Activity and Self-Esteem in Children: The Ulm Birth Cohort Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 1275.
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