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Pediatrics

Sex-specific longitudinal associations of screen viewing time in children at 2–3 years with adiposity at 3–5 years

International Journal of Obesity volume 43, pages 1334–1343 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

Screen-viewing in late childhood has been associated with adiposity and blood pressure (BP), but evidence is lacking at younger ages. To investigate the prospective associations of total and device-specific screen-viewing at age 2–3 years with BMI, sum of skinfold thicknesses and BP among Singaporean children at age 3–5 years.

Methods

As part of the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort, mothers/caregivers reported the time per day their 2 and 3-year-old children watched/used television, handheld devices and computers. Average screen-viewing time (total, television and handheld-devices) at ages 2 and 3 years was used in the analyses. Height; weight; triceps, biceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses; and systolic and diastolic BP were measured at ages 3, 4 and 5. Associations of screen-viewing with BMI, sum of skinfold thicknesses and BP in 956 children were investigated using repeated-measures linear regression models. Analyses were further stratified by sex as we found significant interaction.

Results

Among boys and girls combined, screen-viewing was positively associated with sum of skinfold thicknesses, but not with BMI or BP. Sex-specific analyses showed significant associations with both BMI and sum of skinfold thicknesses in boys, but not in girls. Screen-viewing was not associated with BP in boys or girls. The increases in mean (95% CI) BMI per hour increase in daily total, television and handheld-devices screen-viewing among boys were 0.12 (0.03, 0.21), 0.18 (0.06, 0.30) and 0.11 (−0.07, 0.29) kg/m2, respectively. The corresponding increases in mean sum of skinfold thicknesses were 0.68 (0.29, 1.07), 0.79 (0.26, 1.32) and 1.18 (0.38, 1.99) mm.

Conclusions

Greater screen-viewing at age 2–3 years was associated with later adiposity at 3–5 years in boys, but not in girls. In light of the increasing use of screen devices and cardiometabolic risk in young children, these findings may have important public health implications.

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Acknowledgements

This research is supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under its Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programme and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore- NMRC/TCR/004-NUS/2008; NMRC/TCR/012-NUHS/2014. Additional funding is provided by the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. KMG is supported by the National Institute for Health Research through the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and by the European Union’s Erasmus + Capacity-Building ENeASEA Project and Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013), projects EarlyNutrition and ODIN under grant agreement numbers 289346 and 613977. We would like to thank GUSTO study group, operational managers, research fellows, study coordinators and data management team. We greatly appreciate voluntary participation of all participants, and cooperation of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and National University Hospital. The GUSTO study group includes Allan Sheppard, Amutha Chinnadurai, Anne Eng Neo Goh, Anne Rifkin-Graboi, Anqi Qiu, Arijit Biswas, Bee Wah Lee, Birit F.P. Broekman, Boon Long Quah, Borys Shuter, Chai Kiat Chng, Cheryl Ngo, Choon Looi Bong, Christiani Jeyakumar Henry, Claudia Chi, Cornelia Yin Ing Chee, Yam Thiam Daniel Goh, Doris Fok, E Shyong Tai, Elaine Tham, Elaine Quah Phaik Ling, Evelyn Xiu Ling Loo, George Seow Heong Yeo, Helen Chen, Heng Hao Tan, Hugo P S van Bever, Iliana Magiati, Inez Bik Yun Wong, Ivy Yee-Man Lau, Izzuddin Bin Mohd Aris, Jeevesh Kapur, Jenny L. Richmond, Jerry Kok Yen Chan, Joanna D. Holbrook, Joanne Yoong, Joao N. Ferreira, Jonathan Tze Liang Choo, Joshua J. Gooley, Krishnamoorthy Niduvaje, Kuan Jin Lee, Leher Singh, Lieng Hsi Ling, Lin Lin Su, Ling-Wei Chen, Lourdes Mary Daniel, Marielle V. Fortier, Mark Hanson, Mary Foong-Fong Chong, Mary Rauff, Mei Chien Chua, Melvin Khee-Shing Leow, Michael Meaney, Mya Thway Tint, Neerja Karnani, Ngee Lek, Oon Hoe Teoh, P. C. Wong, Paulin Tay Straughan, Pratibha Agarwal, Queenie Ling Jun Li, Rob M. van Dam, Salome A. Rebello, S. Sendhil Velan, Seng Bin Ang, Shang Chee Chong, Sharon Ng, Shiao-Yng Chan, Shu-E Soh, Sok Bee Lim, Stella Tsotsi, Chin-Ying Stephen Hsu, Sue Anne Toh, Swee Chye Quek, Victor Samuel Rajadurai, Walter Stunkel, Wayne Cutfield, Wee Meng Han, Wei Wei Pang, Yin Bun Cheung, Yiong Huak Chan.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Jonathan Y. Bernard, Falk Müller-Riemenschneider

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 12 Science Drive 2, MD1 Tahir Foundation Building, Level 12, Singapore, 117549, Singapore

    Natarajan Padmapriya, Izzuddin M. Aris, Mya Thway Tint, Shirong Cai, Yap Seng Chong & Michael S. Kramer

  2. Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore

    Izzuddin M. Aris, Shirong Cai, Lynette P. Shek, Yap Seng Chong, Peter D. Gluckman, Yung Seng Lee & Jonathan Y. Bernard

  3. KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    See Ling Loy, Kok Hian Tan & Fabian Yap

  4. Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore

    See Ling Loy, Kok Hian Tan & Fabian Yap

  5. Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Lynette P. Shek & Yung Seng Lee

  6. Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children’s Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore

    Lynette P. Shek & Yung Seng Lee

  7. Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Keith M. Godfrey

  8. NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK

    Keith M. Godfrey

  9. Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Peter D. Gluckman

  10. Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of, Singapore, Singapore

    Seang Mei Saw & Falk Müller-Riemenschneider

  11. Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Fabian Yap

  12. Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Michael S. Kramer

  13. Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charite University Medical Centre, Berlin, Germany

    Falk Müller-Riemenschneider

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  1. Natarajan Padmapriya
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Correspondence to Natarajan Padmapriya.

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Conflict of interest

KMG and YSC report receiving reimbursement for speaking at conferences sponsored by companies selling nutritional products. KMG and YSC report being part of an academic consortium that has received research funding from Abbott Nutrition, Nestle and Danone. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Padmapriya, N., Aris, I.M., Tint, M.T. et al. Sex-specific longitudinal associations of screen viewing time in children at 2–3 years with adiposity at 3–5 years. Int J Obes 43, 1334–1343 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-019-0344-x

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