Research Critique: Preschool Screen Time and Obesity

Research Critique: Preschool Screen Time and Obesity

The research article on “screen time parenting practices and association with preschool children’s TV viewing and weight-related outcomes” aims to examine and explain the relationship between parenting practices in relation to screen time in relation to children of age two to five watching television and their weight. The paper’s main focus was to show how children’s time watching television affects their weight, like in obese and overweight children (Neshteruk et al., 2021). Furthermore, the article explains how obesity develops in preschool children due to poor parenting concerning the time their children spend watching television. Therefore, the topic of preschool screen time and obesity is necessary for my topic as it explains which children are at risk of obesity as far as screen time is involved (Neshteruk et al., 2021).

The article answers the hypothesis that Screen time parenting practices like setting limits on time spent on watching would be linked to reduced time spent on television viewing and weight status in children. In contrast, promoting screen time can also increase TV viewing time and weight. Screen time is a contributing factor to obesity in preschool children. Specifically, children who exceed recommended television time have an increased risk of obesity compared to those that spend the recommended time television watching in their childhood. The study provided a framework for how parenting practices involving monitoring and limiting screen time affect the time spent viewing television and how this continues to impact the child’s weight status and poses a risk to obesity development.

The research article uses a randomized control trial, and sampling is done through mailings, community advertisements, and intervention at child centers. The study employed weekly television watching time in children and childhood obesity as variables. Parents were asked to measure their children’s screen time weekly, and the child’s weight and height were measured to test for children’s BMI and Z scores as they are the variables responsible for assessing a child’s development and nutrition. Despite the child’s weight and BMI status being affected by other factors like parents’ age, race, marital status, education level, employment status, and BMI status, screen time plays a vital role in the BMI status of the child. Therefore, the variables of screen time, BMI status of the child, and parenting are the most relevant in answering whether screen time in preschool children has a role in their weight status and obesity.

The article collected data through questionnaire answering, families attending specific study locations to measure their weights and BMI, and measuring Childs’s TV screen time. The measurements done in children include the weight, height, waist circumference, and parents’ weight and height for BMI. The data collected were measured, analyzed, and results obtained. The results obtained from the study based on the article included the parent’s demographics, age, race, marital status, BMI, employment, family income, and education level (Neshteruk et al., 2021). Results prove a relation between TV screen time, parenting practices, and the child’s weight status. Limitation parenting monitoring of the child indicated additional watching hours for the child, leading to increased BMI in children.

The article discusses the results and provides an interpretation of the study. The inversely proportional relationship between parenting monitoring time of television screen time to children’s BMI proves that children who spend more than the recommended time on the screen have an increased risk of developing obesity. Based on the article, TV screen viewing time is significantly reduced by increased parenting monitoring, and so is BMI and the child’s Z-score affected (Neshteruk et al., 2021). Therefore, parents should understand that controlling their children’s behavior and screen time can impact their weight status. the study highlights the need to control television viewing time for preschool children to lower their risk of developing obesity as obesity is associated with several non-communicable diseases, including hypertension and diabetes. The study’s main strength was the ability to use different measurement points (Neshteruk et al., 2021). the limitations included the study was randomized, so not efficient for obesity prevention, among other shortcomings. Nevertheless, based on the article, there is a  higher chance of developing obesity in preschool children who spend excess time on television watching, and parenting monitoring can play a role in lowering the risk. 

References

Neshteruk, C. D., Tripicchio, G. L., Lobaugh, S., Vaughn, A. E., Luecking, C. T., Mazzucca, S., & Ward, D. S. (2021). Screen Time Parenting Practices and Associations with Preschool Children’s TV Viewing and Weight-Related Outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7359. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147359

Quantitative Appraisal

Please summarize critical elements of quantitative studies by providing relevant information in the template. Some studies may not include all of the elements in the template. Use short answers. Try to Avoid quotations from the article. If you aren't sure how to put it in your own words, consult with the instructor.