BACKGROUND: Chronic constipation is a long-term problem that decreases children's quality of life. Information and communication technology devices have developed rapidly in recent decades and have had various impacts on children. This prospective cohort study examined the association between television/digital versatile disc (TV/DVD) screen exposure time at age 1 and the risk of chronic constipation at age 3. METHODS: Data from 63,697 infants in the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) were analyzed. We divided participants into five groups according to TV/DVD exposure time per day: no exposure (0 h), short exposure (<1 h), middle exposure (1.0-<2.0 h), long exposure (2.0-<4.0 h), and very long exposure (≥4 h). Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between TV/DVD exposure time and the risk of constipation. For logistic regression analysis, odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for sex, parents' education, household income, nursery school, feeding contents, and obesity. The interaction between the sexes was also examined. RESULTS: The prevalence of constipation for males, females, and all participants at age 3 was 9.3, 11.0, and 10.1%, respectively. The TV/DVD screen time distribution per day at age 1 was 10.6% for none, 34.1% for short, 29.9% for middle, 19.2% for long, and 6.2% for the very long exposure group. After adjusting for confounding factors, a dose-response pattern was identified between TV/DVD exposure time and constipation in all participants (p for trend < 0.001). The adjusted ORs increased progressively in the short (OR 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.27), middle (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.11-1.35), long (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.24-1.52), and very long exposure groups (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.35-1.74). This association was not significantly different between the sexes (p for interaction = 0.36). CONCLUSIONS Longer TV/DVD exposure time at age 1 was associated with the risk of chronic constipation at age 3. Excessive screen exposure may need to be avoided from infancy to decrease the risk of chronic constipation in later years.
Humans ; Constipation/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Television/statistics & numerical data* ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Screen Time ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology* ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Long screen time hours may be associated with behavioral problems in children. To better understand the relationship between children's behavioral problems and screen time, it the associated risk factors must be subdivided based on the purpose underlying screen use. This study examined the relationship between screen time based on intended usage and behavioral problems in Japan. METHODS: This study included 3,332 children aged between 7-17 years from the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health. From October 2020 to October 2021, the children and their parents answered questionnaires on the children's screen use duration (never used, <30 min, ≥30 min & <1 hour, ≥1 h & <2 h, ≥2 h) based on seven intended usage categories: watching television/video, video gaming, reading books/comics, sending/receiving e-mail/messages, browsing/posting on social networking services, studying for classes/homework, drawing/editing pictures/photos/videos, along with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between screen time, purpose of children's screen use, and behavioral problems across the 13 SDQ total scores. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation age of the participants was 12.4 ± 2.4-years-old, 487 (14.6%) children were determined to have behavioral problems, and the duration of screen time increased with their age. The children's primary purposes for screen use were watching television/video, video gaming, sending/receiving e-mail/messages, and browsing/posting on social networking services. Children who reported playing video games for ≥2 hours on weekdays had higher odds of problematic total difficulties scores than never user (Odds Ratio: 2.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.45-3.06). CONCLUSION Long video gaming screen time is associated with behavioral issues, hyperactivity/inattention, and prosocial behaviors in children. Conversely, watching television and videos for 30 min-1 h per day, using e-mail or messaging, and using social networking services were significantly association with reduced odds ratio for peer relationship problems as compared to children who never engaged in these activities. Longitudinal follow-up is needed to further examine screen time and problem behaviors.
Humans ; Screen Time ; Child ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Problem Behavior/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Child Behavior ; Television/statistics & numerical data* ; Video Games/statistics & numerical data*

BACKGROUND: It has been pointed out that prolonged television (TV) viewing is one of the sedentary behaviors that is harmful to health; however, the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and prolonged TV viewing time has not been sufficiently investigated in Japan. METHODS: The study population are the participants of NIPPON DATA2010, which is a prospective cohort study of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2010 in Japan. They were residents in 300 randomly selected areas across Japan. This study included 2752 adults. SES was classified according to the employment status, educational attainment, living status, and equivalent household expenditure (EHE). Prolonged TV viewing time was defined as more than or equal to 4 h of TV viewing per day. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of SES with prolonged TV viewing time. RESULTS: The mean TV viewing time was 2.92 h in all participants. Of 2752 participants, 809 (29.4%) prolonged TV viewing, and the mean TV viewing time of them was 5.61 h. The mean TV viewing time in participants without prolonged TV viewing time was 1.81 h. The mean TV viewing time was prolonged as age classes increased and significantly longer in aged ≥60 years. Prolonged TV viewing time was associated with not working for all age classes and sexes. Only among women, education attainment and living status were also associated with prolonged TV viewing time. For education attainment, the lower the received years of education, the higher odds ratios (OR) of prolonged TV viewing time. For living status, in women aged <60 years, living with others had a significantly higher OR compared to living with spouse. On the other hand, in women aged ≥60 years, living alone had a significantly higher OR. EHE did not have any significant associations with prolonged TV viewing time. CONCLUSIONS In a general Japanese population, it should be noted that the association between SES and prolonged TV viewing time differed by age and sex. Particularly, it must draw attention to the prolonged TV viewing in elderly. The intervention in order to shorten TV viewing time needs to consider these attributes.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Sedentary Behavior ; Sex Factors ; Social Class ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Television/statistics & numerical data* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To verify the association between sleep duration and television time with cardiometabolic risk and the moderating role of age, gender, and skin color/ethnicity in this relationship among adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 1411 adolescents (800 girls) aged 10 to 17 years. Television time, sleep duration, age, gender, and skin color/ethnicity were obtained by self-reported questionnaire. Cardiometabolic risk was evaluated using the continuous metabolic risk score, by the sum of the standard z-score values for each risk factor: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, cardiorespiratory fitness, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. Generalized linear regression models were used. RESULTS: There was an association between television time and cardiometabolic risk (β, 0.002; 95% CI, 0.001; 0.003). Short sleep duration (β, 0.422; 95% CI, 0.012; 0.833) was positively associated with cardiometabolic risk. Additionally, age moderated the relationship between television time and cardiometabolic risk (β, - 0.009; 95% CI, - 0.002; - 0.001), suggesting that this relationship was stronger at ages 11 and 13 years (β, 0.004; 95% CI, 0.001; 0.006) compared to 13 to 15 years (β, 0.002; 95% CI, 0.001; 0.004). No association was found in older adolescents (β, 0.001; 95% CI, - 0.002; 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Television time and sleep duration are associated with cardiometabolic risk; adolescents with short sleep have higher cardiometabolic risk. In addition, age plays a moderating role in the relationship between TV time and cardiometabolic risk, indicating that in younger adolescents the relationship is stronger compared to older ones.
Age Factors ; Brazil ; epidemiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; etiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Metabolic Syndrome ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; etiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sedentary Behavior ; ethnology ; Sex Factors ; Sleep ; Television ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo describe the prevalence and relationship between screen time and sub-health status among middle school students in weekdays and weekends.

METHODSWith multistage stratified random cluster sampling, 14 400 students from junior and senior middle schools in 288 classes of 30 schools in 4 cities( Shenyang, Chongqing, Xinxiang, Guangzhou) were investigated in October, 2011. A total of 13 817 valid questionnaires were retained for analysis. Survey content includes general demographic information, screen time, sub-health state. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between screen time and sub-health status.

RESULTSThe screen time among middle school students > 2 h/d on weekdays and weekends were 15.1% (2 085/13 817) and 58.5% (8 077/13 817) , respectively. Among them, the boys' screen time > 2 h/d on weekdays and weekends were 17.9% (1 187/6 644) and 61.3% (4 070/6 644), which were higher than girls (12.5% (898/7 173), 55.9% (4 007/7 173) )(χ² values were 76.95 and 41.35, respectively. P < 0.01). The prevalence of physical sub-health status, psychological sub-health status and sub-health status were 24.8% (3 431/13 817), 21.7% (2 997/13 817) and 22.1% (3 051/13 817), respectively. Among them, the girls' prevalence of physical sub-health status, psychological sub-health status and sub-health status were 26.0% (1 863/7 173), 22.9% (1642/7 173) and 23.1% (1 658/7 173) ), respectively, which were higher than boys' (23.6% (1 568/6 644), 20.4% (1 355/6 644) and 21.0% (1 393/6 644)) (χ² values were 10.39, 12.66 and 9.25, respectively. P < 0.05). The senior students' prevalence of physical sub-health status, psychological sub-health status and sub-health status were 31.6% (2 176/6 884) , 28.3% (1 946/6 884) and 28.9% (1 990/6 884), respectively, which were higher than junior students' (18.1% (1 255/6 933), 15.2% (1 051/6 933) and 15.3% (1 061/6 933)) (χ² values were 337.65, 349.46 and 371.54, respectively, P < 0.05). After adjusting on demographic characteristics, compared with screen time ≤ 2 h/d on weekday, screen time > 2 h/d on weekday was significantly associated with physical sub-health status, psychological sub-health status and sub-health status (OR (95% CI): 1.39 (1.25-1.55), 1.62 (1.45-1.81) and 1.59 (1.43-1.78)). And compared with screen time ≤ 2 h/d on weekend, screen time > 2 h/d on weekend was also significantly associated with physical sub-health status, psychological sub-health status and sub-health status (OR(95% CI):1.49 (1.37-1.61), 1.81 (1.66-1.98), and 1.71 (1.57-1.87)).

CONCLUSIONThe rate of the screen time > 2 h/d and the detection ratio of sub-health among the middle school students in Shenyang, Chongqing, Xinxiang, Guangzhou in 2011 were high. Screen time >2 h/d on weekdays or weekends was a risk factor for sub-health status.

Adolescent ; China ; epidemiology ; Cities ; Data Collection ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Microcomputers ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Schools ; Sex Factors ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Television ; statistics & numerical data ; Urban Population ; statistics & numerical data

PURPOSE: To compare myopia progression in patients with astigmatism over 3.0 dipoters and in patients with astigmatism with less than 1.0 diopter. METHODS: Between March 2001 and March 2006, regular refraction was performed in patients without amblyopia or strabismus. Patients with astigmatism over 3.0 diopter were classified into subject group, and patients with astigmatism less than 1.0 diopter were classified into control group. We performed cycloplegic refraction at the first visit, and manifest refraction at follow-up examination. Minimal follow-up period was 12 months. Data analysis was performed with T-test and ANOVA. RESULTS: There was no difference in myopia progression in patients with astigmatism over 3.0 dipoters and in patients with astigmatism with less than 1.0 diopter. Age, sex, type of astigmatism, spherical equivalent, age to start wearing glasses, and time to watch television and computer didn't show significant influence on myopic progression in subject group and control group. Patients with astigmatism over 3.0 diopters in one eye and astigmatism less than 3.0 diopters in the other eye were evaluated and there was no difference in myopia progression between both eyes. Eyes with non-progressive astigmatism over 3.0 diopters showed similar myopia progression with eyes with progressive astigmatism over 3.0 diopters. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in myopia progression between patients with astigmatism over 3.0 dipoters and patients with astigmatism with less than 1.0 diopter.
Amblyopia ; Astigmatism* ; Eyeglasses ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glass ; Humans ; Myopia* ; Statistics as Topic ; Strabismus ; Television

The study aimed to perform the qualitative analysis of food and nutrition informations offered in TV program by monitoring newscastings, health-related programs giving food and nutrition information, dramas for family, education programs for children, and information programs for elderly in major TV broadcasting station(KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS). In this study, statistical analysis were done for numbers of information items related to health or food and nutrition informations. Duration of program the main, subject, sources, evaluation criteria of the contents. Results of qualitative monitoring for TV program are as follows. For health-related informations major propotions of subjects for the newscastings were about diseases. Those for health information programs were about foods. Those for children-education programs were about groceries. Those for seniors' information programs were about eating habits. The analysis of food and nutrition information sources for most of programs were interviews with specialist and normal person, and on-the-spot-investingations. For food and nutrition informations those were evaluated as inappropriate, the propotion of news was increased to 72.2% in 2003 from 49.3% in 2002. For health information programs, it was increased to 67.7% in 2003 from 54.0% in 2002. But, in drama the propotion of inappropriate scenes were decreased to 16.2% in 2003 from 63.2% in 2002. In children-education programs, it was 40.0%. In seniors' information programs, it was 17.9% in 2002. The propotion of cases that the quantity of foods is inappropriate in the food scene of serial drama, decreased to 15.8% in 2003 from 28.6% in 2002. The rate of drinking scenes increased to 11.5% from 10.7%. The rate of smoking scenes decreased to 0.2% from 1.6% due to the broadcasting self-regulation of smoking scenes in dramas. In the newscatings and information programs, reasons of being evaluated as inappropriate was that they didn't have any practical suggestions and proper intakes. There were also insufficient explanation for technical terminology, different comparison standard of nutritive value, and exaggeration for physiological effect of food. The drama contained a lot of unnecessary scenes of alcohol drinking, coffee drinking, midnight meal, and had more quantity of foods than the quantity needed for persons to the scene. As the result of this study, the rate of food and nutrition information were high, but the rate of information which was evaluate as appropriate was not sufficient. There are need to improve contents of information and to moniter the contents for consumer.
Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Child ; Coffee ; Drama* ; Drinking ; Eating ; Education ; Humans ; Meals ; Nutritive Value ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Specialization ; Statistics as Topic ; Television*

A statistical study on visually handicapped children was performed by The Committee on Health of Korean Pediatric Association from July to October, 1978. 3,930 boys and girls in middle school children(3rd grade; around 15 years of age) were studied and the results were obtained as follows; 1, 788 out of 3,930 children(20.1%) were visually handicapped. There were no sex preponderance. 2. Annual incidence of visual handicap was 2.2% of all children studied. 3. There were no specific age preferance for handicapping and annual incidence of visual retardations among the handicapped children was 13.7%(10~19%). 4. Children wearing corrective glasses were 62.8% of all handicapped children and 69.8% of them were began to wear the glasses after entrance of middle school. 5. Nearly all of the handicapped children were suffered from symptoms related with visual defect and the most common difficulty was learning problems(67.5%). Headache(6.7%) and dizziness(5.5%) were another difficulties. 6. 92.5% of children wearing glasses were improved their symptoms related with poor visions but 79.8% of children wearing glasses were suffered form discomfortness by glasses itself. 7. The reasons wearing no glasses among the visual handicaps were advices by parents and friends due to bad effects of glasses on beauty(321.%), hesitation(30.7%) and shyness(13.3%). 8. High famillial incidence of visual handicaps were noted in visually handicapped children than with normal vision. 9. There were no difference between the children with defective vision and normal children on number of television sets at home, places of telvision set ups(children's room or parent?sroom), hours watching televison per day, presence or absence of children's study rooms and reading postures. 10. Habits of watching television or reading books from too short distance, improper illumination when they read the books at home were much more freqently observed in children with visual handicap than children with no defect.
Child ; Disabled Children* ; Disabled Persons* ; Eyeglasses ; Female ; Friends ; Glass ; Humans ; Incidence ; Learning ; Lighting ; Parents ; Posture ; Statistics as Topic* ; Television