September 4, 2015

screen time, sedentary behaviour and GCSEs results

Screen time (watching TV, playing computer games or browsing the internet) and sedentary behaviour have both been at the centre of recent controversy, causing particular concern amongst parents worried that their children are being harmed through long periods sitting and looking at a screen. Researchers have now conducted a study to determine if looking at screens, compared to reading or doing homework, or being sedentary appears to have any impact on GCSE results.

The research, a prospective study of UK students, was published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Three of the paper authors came to the Science Media Centre to discuss issues such as:

• If there is an impact of either screen time or sedentary behaviour on GCSE results, can we determine whether this is causation or correlation?
• Do these findings give us information for parents who are concerned about these issues?
• Are there differences between sedentary behaviour and doing homework , versus sitting and playing computer games or sitting and reading?
• How robust are these findings? Would we need extra information to be sure about the suggested results?

Roundup comments accompanied this briefing.

Speakers:

Dr Kirsten Corder, Senior Investigator Scientist, MRC Epidemiology Unit and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge

Prof. Ian Goodyer, Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cambridge

Dr Esther van Sluijs, Group Leader, MRC Epidemiology Unit and Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge