Prevalence of high screen time and associated factors among students: a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang, China

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of high screen time (ST) among students in Zhejiang, China.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: School-based adolescent health survey in Zhejiang Province, China.

Participants: 23 543 students in grades 7-12 from 442 different schools.

Outcome: High ST.

Results: The mean age of the students was 15.6 years and 49.7% of them were girls. The prevalence of high ST (screen viewing ≥2 hours per day) was 42.4% (95% CI 40.2% to 44.5%), higher in boys than in girls (45.4%(95% CI 42.8% to 48.0%) vs 39.1% (95% CI 36.6% to 41.7%)). No statistically significant difference was found between urban and rural areas (43.0% (95% CI 37.2% to 48.7%) vs 42.1% (95% CI 39.6% to 44.6%)). The prevalence of high ST among middle school, academic high school and vocational high school students was 35.3%, 30.0% and 73.5%, respectively. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that older age, attendance at vocational high school, non-intact family, poor academic performance, bad self-reported health status, loneliness and drinking carbonated beverages ≥3 times every day were positively associated with high ST. Attendance at academic high school, higher parental education and being physically active were negatively associated with high ST.

Conclusions: High ST was prevalent among students and associated with a cluster of sociodemographic and behavioural risk factors in Zhejiang, China.

Keywords: adolescents; behaviours; factors.