Electronic device usage among preschool children and its association with mental health status in Saudi Arabian kindergartens.
To estimate the prevalence of electronic device usage and its association with mental health status among preschool children aged 3-6 years.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among preschool children aged 3-6 years in kindergartens in Makkah city in 2023-2024, using an electronic questionnaire. An Arabic version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess mental health.
We recruited a total of 399 children. The prevalence of electronic device usage was 91.5%. The number of hours spent using electronic devices ranged from 0 to 12 hour (h)/day, with a mean of 3.1 h/day. We found a significant positive correlation between the number of hours spent using electronic devices and emotional problems (r=0.200, p<0.001), conduct problems (r=0.149, p=0.003), hyperactivity (r=0.279, p<0.001), peer problems (r=0.104, p=0.038), and total difficulty scores (r=0.263, p<0.001). We also found a significant negative correlation between the number of hours spent using electronic devices and the prosocial score (r= -0.128, p=0.011), and most of the included children had scores within the "close to average" category across all scales of mental health status.
There was a high prevalence of electronic device usage among preschool children, which exceeded the recommended time limit. A significant correlation was observed between electronic device use and mental health scores. Further longitudinal studies are required to understand the nature of this association and its implications for child development.
Al-Mehmadi SO
，Halawani AT
，Sulaimani MT
，Al-Mehmadi TO
... -
《-》
Electronic screen device usage and screen time among preschool-attending children in a suburban area of Sri Lanka.
Excessive use of screen devices and screen time are increasing health problems in children. We aim to describe the electronic screen device usage and determine the factors associated with their use among preschool-attending children in a suburban population in Sri Lanka.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in a suburban Medical Officer of Health area of Sri Lanka from January to March 2020. All children aged between 36-59 months attending ten randomly selected preschools were recruited. Data were collected using a parent-administered questionnaire and analysed using binary logistic regression in SPSS. The prevalence of electronic device usage, the average time spent on each device, and factors associated with individual device usage were analysed.
A total of 340 children (Male-48%; mean age-50.1 ± 6.9 months) were recruited. Electronic devices were used by 96% of children. The most common devices were the television (87%) and the smartphone (63%). Of the children who used electronic devices, 60% exceeded the recommended screen time limit of one hour per day, 21% used devices for more than two hours per day, and 51% commenced using devices by two years of age. The higher education level of the father was independently associated with the use of smartphones and laptops and daily screen time of more than one hour (p < 0.05 for all). Male sex and being the only child were significantly associated with the use of smartphones, whereas maternal employment was associated with the use of laptops (p < 0.05 for all).
Electronic screen devices were used by 96% of preschool-attending children, and over 60% used them for more than the recommended daily upper limit of one hour. Higher paternal education, maternal employment and being the only child were significantly associated with electronic screen device use.
Rathnasiri A
，Rathnayaka H
，Yasara N
，Mettananda S
... -
《BMC Pediatrics》
Association between food intake and mental health problems among preschoolers in China.
Our knowledge of associations between specific types of food and mental health problems in preschool children, an important developmental period, remains scarce. Using a large sample size and a brief measure, we aimed to examine associations between food groups and mental health problems in preschoolers.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 19,548 preschoolers in nine counties in China using a two-stage cluster sampling method. Information on food frequencies, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep conditions was collected by a parent-reported questionnaire. Mental health status was assessed by a parent-reported Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ). Height and weight were measured, and BMI was calculated. Relationships between specific types of food groups and mental health status were examined using multivariable regression modeling.
Of the present study sample, 47.45% of children were girls. Boys had higher scores relating to total difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems than girls but lower scores in emotional symptoms and prosocial behavior. Children with more types of food categories tended to get lower SDQ total scores even after adjusting for confounding variables (p < 0.0001). The subscale scores of SDQ varied depending on the types and numbers of food consumed. Notably, boys' mental health problems were more likely to be associated with their consumed food type. Processed meat frequency intake among boys and girls was positively related to prosocial behavior (Girls: pickled food: p = 0.003, fried food: p < 0.0001, barbecued food: p = 0.006, smoked food: p = 0.005; Boys: pickled food: p = 0.3, fried food: p < 0.0001, barbecued food: p = 0.006, smoked food: p = 0.005) and negatively associated with the SDQ total and the other subscale scores (Girls: pickled food: p ≤ 0.02, fried food: p ≤ 0.005 except for emotions (p = 0.1), barbecued food: p ≤ 0.047, smoked food: p ≤ 0.04 (except for emotions (p = 0.06) and conduct behaviors (p = 0.2)); Boys: pickled food: p < 0.01 except for hyperactivity (p = 0.5), fried food: p ≤ 0.005 except for emotions (p = 0.1), barbecued food: p ≤ 0.007 except for hyperactivity (p = 0.8), smoked food: p ≤ 0.001 except for hyperactivity (p = 0.1) and peer problem (p = 0.08)). Adequate intake frequency of confectionery (2-4 times/week) was beneficial to their emotions, conduct, and total difficulties and was also beneficial for peer and prosocial behavior for boys (Girls: emotions: p = 0.02, conduct: p = 0.02, hyperactivity: p = 0.4, peer: p = 0.06, total difficulties: p = 0.01, prosocial behavior: p = 0.1; Boys: emotions: p = 0.009, conduct: p = 0.0009, hyperactivity: p = 0.7, peer: p = 0.02: total difficulties: p = 0.003, prosocial behavior: p = 0.0002).
Diverse food categories and adequate frequency of confectionery were found to be beneficial for children's mental health, with the exception of processed meat. These findings provide novel information and supportive data for children's dietary guidelines and the improvement of mental health.
Jin Q
，Liang Y
，Miao J
，Xiong Y
，Liu Z
，Xue H
，Li Z
... -
《Frontiers in Public Health》
ResearchGate
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钛学术
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