Canadian Children's Steps and TV Watching: The CANPLAY Study
Author Information
Author(s): Catrine Tudor-Locke, Cora L. Craig, Christine Cameron, Joseph M. Griffiths
Primary Institution: Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Hypothesis
This study examines associations between pedometer-determined steps/day and parent-reported child's Body Mass Index (BMI) and time typically spent watching television.
Conclusion
In this large nationally representative sample, pedometer-determined steps/day was associated with reduced odds of being obese, while each hour spent watching television increased the odds of both overweight and obesity.
Supporting Evidence
- Girls had a lower median steps/day compared to boys.
- 11% of children aged 5-19 years were classified as obese.
- The odds of a child being obese decreased by 20% for every extra 3000 steps/day.
- The odds of being overweight increased by 8% for every 30 minutes of additional TV watching.
Takeaway
Kids who take more steps each day are less likely to be obese, while those who watch more TV are more likely to be overweight.
Methodology
Young people aged 5-19 were recruited through parents, who reported height, weight, and TV watching time, while children wore pedometers for 7 days to log daily steps.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from self-reported data and reliance on parental reporting.
Limitations
The study relied on parent-reported estimates of children's height and weight and only queried about television watching between school and dinner.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 5-19 years, with a mix of boys and girls, and varying parental education levels.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI for odds ratios provided in results
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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