Weekday and weekend days correlates of sedentary time and screen-based behaviors in children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare weekday and weekend day correlates of sedentary time, as well as some specific screen-based behaviors, in a sample of 213 Spanish six to eleven year-olds (8.68 ±1.75 years), 76 boys (8.79 ±1.75 years) and 137 girls (8.73 ±1.75 years), who wore GT3X accelerometers for 7 days. Screen-based behaviors were reported by parents through questionnaires. Different potential correlates of sedentary time and screen-based behaviors were measured, and data were analyzed using general univariate linear models and multiple regression analysis. Results revealed high levels of screen-based behaviors, both during weekdays and weekend days. From the different significant correlates for each screen-based behavior analyzed, gender, age, hours of extracurricular PA, children's MVPA and having a TV in the bedroom were identified as the main correlates in most of the behaviors analyzed. The design of multicomponent intervention programs seems advisable.