Television viewing, computer game playing, and Internet use and self-reported time to bed and time out of bed in secondary-school children

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the presence of a television set, a gaming computer, and/or an Internet connection in the room of adolescents and television viewing, computer game playing, and Internet use on the one hand, and time to bed, time up, time spent in bed, and overall tiredness in first- and fourth-year secondary-school children on the other hand. METHODS: A random sample of students from 15 schools in Flanders, Belgium, yielded 2546 children who completed a questionnaire with questions about media presence in bedrooms; volume of television viewing, computer game playing, and Internet use; time to bed and time up on average weekdays and average weekend days; and questions regarding the level of tiredness in the morning, at school, after a day at school, and after the weekend. RESULTS: Children with a television set in their rooms went to bed significantly later on weekdays and weekend days and got up significantly later on weekend days. Overall, they spent less time in bed on weekdays. Children with a gaming computer in their rooms went to bed significantly later on weekdays. On weekdays, they spent significantly less time in bed. Children who watched more television went to bed later on weekdays and weekend days and got up later on weekend days. They spent less time in bed on weekdays. They reported higher overall levels of being tired. Children who spent more time playing computer games went to bed later on weekdays and weekend days and got up later on weekend days. On weekdays, they actually got up significantly earlier. They spent less time in bed on weekdays and reported higher levels of tiredness. Children who spent more time using the Internet went to bed significantly later during the week and during the weekend. They got up later on weekend days. They spent less time in bed during the week and reported higher levels of tiredness. Going out was also significantly related to sleeping later and less. CONCLUSION: Concerns about media use should not be limited to television. Computer game playing and Internet use are related to sleep behavior as well. Leisure activities that are unstructured seem to be negatively related to good sleep patterns. Imposing more structure (eg, end times) might reduce impact.     

Associations between screen-based sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease risk factors in Korean youth

The purposes of this study were to: 1) describe the patterns of screen-based sedentary behaviors, and 2) examine the association between screen-based sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in representative Korean children and adolescents, aged 12 to 18 yr, in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Screen-based sedentary behavior was measured using self-report questionnaires that included items for time spent watching TV and playing PC/video games. Physical activity was measured using items for frequency and duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). CVD risk factors such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were measured. Boys spent more time playing PC/video games, and girls spent more time watching TV. After adjusting for age, gender, annual household income, and MVPA, an additional hour of watching TV was significantly associated with the risk of overweight (OR 1.17 [95% CI 1.03-1.33]), high abdominal adiposity (OR 1.27 [1.06-1.51]), and low HDL cholesterol (OR 1.27 [1.10-1.47]). An additional hour spent playing PC/video games also increased the risk of high abdominal adiposity (OR 1.20 [1.03-1.40]). Prospective observations and interventions are needed to determine causal relationships between screen-based sedentary behavior and CVD risk profiles in Korean youth.     

Maternal behavior in the undernourished rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Undernutrition was produced in rat pups and their mothers by allowing the mothers access to only 40 percent of the food that they normally would eat. Undernourished or well nourished rat pups were fostered on undernourished or well nourished mothers when the pups were 8 days old. Retrieving times and maternal behaviors were recorded for a period of 2 hr. Neither the well nourished nor undernourished mothers treated the undernourished pups significantly differently from the well nourished pups. The undernourished mothers spent more time than well nourished mothers in exploratory behaviors (rearing up and sniffing) and took longer to retrieve their pups. No significant differences occurred in the time spent with the pups or other maternal behaviors. Decreases in maternal attentiveness to pups found in previous studies may be a result of competition from exploratory or food seeking behaviors.     

The effects of protein malnutrition on the behavior of rats during the suckling period.

Observations of 2 groups of dams and their litters were made every 3 hr around the clock on Days 1-20 postpartum. The dams fed either an 8% or a 25% casein diet for 5 weeks before mating and during gestation and lactation. Dams on the low protein diet spent more time in the nest actively nursing their young than did high protein dams, and they exhibited no deficits in other maternal behaviors. Five of 11 kinds of behavior developed more slowly in the undernourished pups than in the well-nourished ones, but the developmental delays were no longer than a few days. Circadian fluctuations were apparent in all of the pups' activities during the 3rd postnatal week as well as in grooming and horizontal movement, 2 behaviors that were present earlier, by 6-10 days of age.     

Dynamics of sleep,sedentary behavior,and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on school versus nonschool days

Study ObjectivesStudies examining time-use activity behaviors (sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity) on school days compared with nonschool days have examined these behaviors independently, ignoring their interrelated nature, limiting our ability to optimize the health benefits of these behaviors. This study examines the associations of school-day (vs. nonschool day) with time-use activity behaviors.MethodsTime series data (6,642 days) from Fitbits (Charge-2) were collected (n = 196, 53% female, 5–10 years). We used a variable-centered dynamic structural equation modeling approach to estimate day-to-day associations of time-use activity behaviors on school days for each child. We then used person-centered cluster analyses to group individuals based on these estimates.ResultsWithin-participant analysis showed that on school days (vs. nonschool days), children (1) slept less (β = −0.17, 95% CI = −0.21, −0.13), (2) were less sedentary (β = −0.05, 95% CI = −0.09, −0.02), and (3) had comparable moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; β = −0.05, 95% CI = −0.11, 0.00). Between-participant analysis showed that, on school days, children with higher sleep carryover experienced greater decreases in sleep (β = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.08, 0.71), children with higher body mass index z-score decreased sedentary behavior more (β = −0.41, 95% CI = −0.64, −0.13), and children with lower MVPA increased MVPA more (β = −0.41, 95% CI −0.64, −0.13). Cluster analysis demonstrated four distinct patterns of connections between time-use activity behaviors and school (High Activity, Sleep Resilient, High Sedentary, and Dysregulated Sleep).ConclusionsUsing a combination of person-centered and more traditional variable-centered approaches, we identified patterns of interrelated behaviors that differed on school, and nonschool days. Findings can inform targeted intervention strategies tailored to children’s specific behavior patterns.     

Associations of Leisure-Time Internet and Computer Use With Overweight and Obesity,Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Internet and computer use are increasingly common leisure-time sedentary behaviors, which have the potential to impact negatively on health outcomes. However, little is known about the extent to which adults’ Internet and computer use is associated with weight status and time spent in leisure-time physical activity.

Objective

The objective is to examine associations of leisure-time Internet and computer use with overweight and obesity, leisure-time physical activity, and other sedentary behaviors.

Methods

Participants (2650 adults living in Adelaide, Australia) completed a mail-back questionnaire including items on their height and weight, past seven day recall of leisure-time physical activity, Internet and computer use, and other leisure-time sedentary behaviors. Leisure-time Internet and computer use was categorized into no use, low use (less than three hours per week), or high use (three hours or more per week).

Results

Participants with low leisure-time Internet and computer use had the highest levels of educational attainment and employment, and engaged in less other sedentary behaviors when compared to participants with no or high Internet and computer use. Multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for gender, age, employment, education, other sedentary behaviors and physical activity, determined that participants with a high leisure-time Internet and computer use were 1.46 (95% CI = 1.10 - 1.93) times more likely to be overweight (BMI≥25 and < 30 kg/m²) and 2.52 times more likely (95% CI = 1.82 - 3.52) to be obese (BMI≥30 kg/m²), compared to those who reported no Internet and computer use in their leisure-time. Adults with high leisure-time Internet and computer use were more likely to be overweight or obese even if they were highly active in their leisure time (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.21 - 2.88), as compared to participants who did not use the Internet or computer. Leisure-time physical activity levels were largely independent of Internet and computer use.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that, apart from nutritional and physical activity interventions, it may also be necessary to decrease time spent in sedentary behaviors, such as leisure-time Internet and computer use, in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Future Internet interventions to reduce weight or increase physical activity may need to differentiate between participants with different levels of Internet use in order to increase their effectiveness. Longitudinal studies are required to examine further the potential causal relationships between the development of overweight and specific sedentary behaviors such as Internet and computer use.     

Effects of adrenalectomy on maternal behavior in rats

One week prior to mating, female rats were adrenalectomized or sham-operated and, immediately following parturition, each was given a foster litter of 10 newborn pups from a mother in the same group. Retrieving measures at the time of fostering revealed no significant differences between the 2 groups. Over 16 days of maternal behavior observations the adrenalectomized mothers spent more time in the nest, more time in an active suckling position, and tended to keep the pups in the nest over a longer period of time. These results provide evidence that a functioning adrenal is not necessary for the initiation or maintenance of maternal responsiveness in rats.     

Short-term changes in sedentary behaviour during adolescence: Project STIL (Sedentary Teenagers and Inactive Lifestyles)

HYPOTHESIS: Changes in body composition and body image during puberty will impact on sedentary behavioural choices. AIM: The study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in pubertal status, body composition and body image on changes in time spent being sedentary. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Eighty-three school students aged 10-15 years were studied at 6-month intervals. BMI and percentage body fat (%BF) were calculated from anthropometric measures. Sedentary behaviour and sleep time were computed for weekday and weekend days using momentary-time-sampling diaries. Body image was measured using the Physical Self-Perception Profile for Children. Pubertal status was assessed from self-reported secondary sexual characteristics. RESULTS: During weekdays, boys' sedentary behaviour increased by a significantly greater amount for those who increased pubertal level compared with those who did not. No significant correlations were found between changing pubertal status, body composition, and body image for either gender. For girls, but not boys, a significant amount of the variance of the change in weekend day sedentary behaviour was explained by changing %BF, independent of changing pubertal status. CONCLUSION: Only a part of the hypothesis was supported by these data. Changes in sedentary behaviour were not associated with behavioural choices triggered by body compositional changes.     

Daily coping practice predicts treatment effects in children with sickle cell disease

OBJECTIVE: To examine the 1-month effects of a pain coping skills intervention in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). METHODS: Forty-six African American children (8-17 years old) were randomly assigned to either a coping skills condition or a standard care control condition. Children were asked to practice daily with audiotaped instructions of skills (e.g., relaxation, imagery). RESULTS: Multivariate analyses of summary measures indicated that children in the coping intervention (versus control group) reported a significantly more active approach to managing pain. Multilevel random effects models applied to daily diary data indicated that on pain days when children practiced their strategies, they had fewer health care contacts, fewer school absences, and less interference with household activities than on days when they did not practice. CONCLUSIONS: Brief training in coping skills followed by minimal therapist contact may lead to a range of benefits when children practice with their skills on a consistent basis.     

Leisure-time physical activity behavior: structured and unstructured choices according to sex,age, and level of physical activity

The main goals of this cross-sectional survey were (a) to describe the associations between sex, age, and physical activity behavior and (b) to describe the age and sex-related associations with the choice of structured (formal) and unstructured (nonformal) physical activity programs. At baseline, data were selected randomly from 1,013 students, from the 7th to the 12th grades. A response rate of 73% (n = 739) was obtained. Accordingly, the sample of this study consisted of 594 adolescents (304 females and 290 males) with mean age of 15.9 years (range 13-20). Physical activity was assessed by means of a questionnaire. A questionnaire about leisure activities was applied to the sample to define the nominal variable “nature of physical activity.” The data showed that significantly more girls than boys (p ≤ .001) belonged to the sedentary group (80.7% girls) and low activity group (64.5% girls). Boys more frequently belonged to the more active groups (92.1%; p ≥ .001). The older participants were more engaged in formal physical activities, whereas the younger mostly chose informal ones whatever their level of physical activity. There were more significant differences in girls’ physical activity groups (X² = 20.663, p≤ .001) than in boys’ (X² = 7.662, p≤ .05). Furthermore, active girls chose more structured physical activities than their sedentary counterparts (18.8% vs. 83.3%). However, boys preferred unstructured activities regardless of physical activity group (83.7% vs. 58.5%; p ≤ .05). It can be concluded that as age increased, organized sports activities became a relatively more important component of total weekly activity for both male and female participants.     

The value of sedentary alternatives influences child physical activity choice

The choice to be physically active or sedentary depends in part on the value of the alternatives that are available. The shift from sedentary to active alternatives may be a function of the value of the sedentary alternatives. To evaluate the influence of the value of the sedentary alternatives on the choice to be physically active or sedentary, 30 nonobese 8–12-year-old youth were randomized in groups that provided a choice between 4 active alternatives or 4 sedentary alternatives (Group 1), their least valued sedentary activity (Group 2), or their most valued sedentary activity (Group 3), on computerized and questionnaire versions of a behavioral choice task. The computer task required participants to work for access to the alternatives. The work required to obtain access to the active alternatives remained constant for all choices, while the work required to gain access to the sedentary alternatives progressively increased. Compared to Groups 1 and 3, participants in Group 2 chose to be sedentary less often as they had to make a choice between being physically active or sedentary on the computerized (p <.005) and the questionnaire version (p <.05) of the behavioral choice task, which correlated r = .54, p < .01. These results suggest interventions designed to increase physical activity by reducing access to sedentary behaviors may need to consider the value of the targeted sedentary behavior and the extent to which the sedentary behaviors compete with physical activity.     

Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour of Yakut (Sakha) adults

Background: Circumpolar regions are undergoing social and economic transition, which often corresponds to a behavioural transition. Yet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour are rarely objectively measured within these groups.

Aim: This study aimed to characterize objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in a sample of indigenous Siberians.

Subjects and methods: Yakut (Sakha) adults (n?=?68, 32 men) underwent anthropometry, interviews and wore a triaxial accelerometer for two days. Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) or sedentary behaviour was calculated using a single axis and also all three axes.

Results: Men spent significantly more time in MVPA than women, although no sex difference was found in sedentary behaviour. Participants were far more active and less sedentary when classified using all three axes (vector magnitude) than a single axis. Television viewing time significantly related to sedentary behaviour in men only.

Conclusion: The Yakut have gender differences in amount and predictors of physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Triaxial accelerometry is more sensitive to daily physical activity in free living populations than single axis.     

Sleep duration and activity levels in Estonian and Swedish children and adolescents

We aimed to examine the associations of sleep duration with time spent on sedentary, moderate and vigorous activities in children and adolescents. The sample consisted of 2,241 (53.5% girls) Estonian and Swedish children (9–10 years) and adolescents (15–16 years), from the European Youth Heart Study, in 1998–1999. Sleep duration was calculated by the difference between self-reported bedtime and time for getting up on a normal weekday. Sedentary time/physical activity was measured by accelerometry (valid data on 1,462 participants). Adolescents had lower odds than children, and Swedish higher odds than Estonian, of meeting the sleep recommendations (>9 h) (OR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.17–0.27; and 1.32, 1.07–1.61, respectively). Participants sleeping longer than 10 h spent more time on physical activities (all intensities) and less time on sedentary activities than those sleeping shorter durations (all P < 0.001). The associations with physical activity became non-significant after additional adjustment for age or sexual maturation (Tanner stages), whereas the associations with sedentary time became borderline significant (P = 0.09/0.03, for age and Tanner, respectively). In conclusion, these results do not suggest a link between sleep durations and activity in a relatively large sample of children and adolescents from two European countries. Consequently, the common assumption that physical activity is a mediator in the relationship between short sleep durations and obesity is not supported by our findings.     

Start with reducing sedentary behavior: A stepwise approach to physical activity counseling in clinical practice

Recently, sedentary behavior recommendations have been included in the public health guidelines of multiple countries, pointing to new opportunities for prevention of chronic disease as well as a potential strategy for initiating long-term behavior change.ObjectiveTo propose an evidence-informed approach to physical activity counseling that starts with a focus on reducing sedentary time.MethodsWe put forward a case for addressing changes in sedentary behavior in clinical practice using a narrative review. We also propose a new approach for the assessment and counselling of patients with respect to movement behaviors.ResultsThere is evidence to support a stepwise approach to physical activity counseling that starts with targeting sedentary behavior, particularly in those who are highly sedentary, or those who have chronic disease, or physical impairments.ConclusionsOur approach encourages clinicians to consider sedentary behavior counseling as a critical first step to physical activity counseling. For many patients, this initial step of reducing sedentary behavior could build a pathway to an active lifestyle.Practical ImplicationsA shift from long periods of sedentary time to daily routines incorporating more light intensity physical activity could result in meaningful health improvements. Importantly, this approach may be more feasible for highly inactive patients.     

Depression-like behavior of aged male and female mice is ameliorated with administration of testosterone or its metabolites

There may be a role of age-related decline in androgen production and/or its metabolism for late-onset depression disorders of men and women. Thus, the anti-depressant-like effects of testosterone (T) and its metabolites are of interest. Given that these androgens have disparate mechanisms of action, it is important to begin to characterize and compare their effects in an aged animal model. We hypothesized that there would be sex differences in depression behavior of aged mice and that androgens would reduce depression-like behaviors in the forced swim test. To investigate this, male and female mice (~ 24 months old) were subcutaneously administered T, or one of its 5α-reduced metabolites (dihydrotesterone-DHT, 5α-androstane,17β-diol-3α-diol), or aromatized metabolite (estradiol — E₂), or oil vehicle. Mice were administered androgens (1 mg/kg) 1 h before being tested in the forced swim test, an animal model of depression. We found that males spent more time immobile, and less time swimming, than females. Administration of T, DHT, or 3α-diol similarly reduced time spent immobile, and increased time spent struggling, of male and female mice. E₂, compared to vehicle administration, decreased time spent immobile of males and females, but increased time spent swimming of females and time spent struggling of male mice. Together, these data suggest that T and its 5α-reduced and aromatized metabolites have anti-depressant-like effects in aged male and female mice.     

Goal-Directed Behavior and Perception of Self-Competence in Children with Spina Bifida

Compared a group of school-age children with spina bifida (n= 75) between the ages of 6 and 12 years with an age- and IQ-matchedcontrol group of normal children (n = 15). As predicted, thespina bifida children spent less time using goal-directed behaviorsand more time in simple manipulation of the toys compared tothe normal children. There were no group differences betweenthe spina bifida and normal children's perceived competencebut parents of the spina bifida children rated their childrenas having lower cognitive and physical competence. Associationswere found between goal-directed behaviors and perceived self-competencefor children in the spina bifida group but not the normal group.     

Caffeine intake reduces sedentary time and increases physical activity predisposition in obese police officers

Sedentary time is associated with increased obesity in police officers. Caffeine intake may reduce sedentary time but it has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, the effect of caffeine ingestion on sedentary time was investigated in obese police officers. Fourteen obese police officers ingested either 5 mg/kg of caffeine or cellulose (placebo) for six days. Information on inactivity time, time spent with physical activities, self-reported perception of tiredness, and physical activity disposition was obtained daily during the intervention period. Sedentary and physical activity times were divided into two intraday periods (T₁: 08:00 am-02:00 pm and T₂: 02:00 pm-08:00 pm). Caffeine intake decreased the sedentary time in both T₁ (79.2±2.2%) and T₂ (79.1±2.5%), when compared with T₂ of the placebo condition (81.1±3.6%, P<0.05). Caffeine intake also increased the time spent on light physical activities in T₁ and T₂ (17±2 and 18±2%), when compared with T₂ of the placebo condition (16±3%, P<0.05). In addition, sedentary time increased and light physical activity time decreased from T₁ to T₂ in the placebo (P<0.001) but not in the caffeine condition (P=0.81). Caffeine intake had no effect on tiredness (P>0.05), but it increased the self-reported physical activity disposition compared to the placebo condition (4.5±2.7 vs 3.2±2.3 units, P<0.05). Caffeine intake reduced the sedentary time and increased the time spent on light physical activities of obese police officers, which seems to be related to a higher disposition for the practice of physical activity.     

Autistic-like behavior in CHARGE syndrome

Children with CHARGE syndrome frequently exhibit moderate to severe behavior difficulties, and are often diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, Tourette syndrome, and autism. Hartshorne and Cypher (2004) surveyed parents of 100 children with CHARGE worldwide and confirmed the prevalence of behaviors that are associated with these disorders. They also found behaviors that could be described as typical of persons who are deafblind. The present study examined whether the autistic-like behaviors of children with CHARGE are more similar to those of children who are deafblind, to those of children who are autistic or are unique to CHARGE. Surveys including the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were mailed to families of 204 children with CHARGE, and 160 usable surveys were returned (78%). Total scores on the ABC for children with CHARGE were significantly different from the norms for those with autism, and those who were deafblind. However, the variance for CHARGE was larger than for the normative groups, and 27.5% of those with CHARGE could be classified as autistic. The pattern of subscale scores for those with CHARGE differed from the other normative groups.     

Comparison of the parental behavior of pair-bonded female and male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

The behavior of primiparous lactating prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and their mates individually interacting with pups was continuously assessed for 45 min after a 2-h parent-litter separation on days 3-4 and 10-11 postpartum. Both sexes were highly parental after reunion with the young, and their general pattern of behavior consisted of bouts of quiescence interspersed with bursts of heightened activity. Lactating females spent more time than males in contact with pups, and more time being quiescent, most often in the kyphotic (upright crouched) nursing posture. Even in the absence of nipples upon which the pups could suckle, males also displayed kyphosis, although for shorter durations than females. Males spent more time, however, huddled over the litter in a hunched position than their mates. In accordance with their decreased quiescence, male voles licked and carried pups more and were more exploratory than females. Compared with the first week postpartum, bouts of kyphosis were shorter during the second week postpartum for both sexes, while laying prone on the pups increased. Males spent less time licking and more time carrying older pups than younger ones, and were more exploratory during the second week postpartum. Sex differences in the parental behavior of prairie voles may reflect differences in the somatosensory stimulation that females and males receive from pups. Furthermore, the display of kyphosis by male voles indicates that the sensorimotor organization of this posture in voles differs from that of lactating rats, which require suckling stimulation for its regulation.     

Weaning in rats: II. Pup behavior patterns

In this study, litters of rat pups and their mothers were continuously video-monitored from Day 14 to Day 35 postpartum in order to describe the behavioral changes that occur during that period. Prior to the onset of solid food intake (Day 18), pups spent most of their active time suckling. During Days 18 to 26, feeding, drinking, grooming, and play-fighting rapidly became frequent daily activities, while suckling gradually began to decline. By Day 28, pups' food and water intake relative to body weight and time allocated to the new behaviors reached asymptote. Pups nevertheless continued to suckle until Day 34. These results suggest that (1) the transition from milk to solid food is embedded in a multitude of behavioral changes; (2) these behavioral changes have distinct temporal characteristics; and (3) the developmental period between Days 14 and 34 can be divided into three phases.