ArticleInternational journal of obesity (2005)2020
Do bedroom screens and the mealtime environment shape different trajectories of child overweight and obesity? Research using the Growing Up in Scotland study.
Article in International journal of obesity (2005), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Systematic Review of Screen Time and Obesity in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: Sex-Specific Pathways and Implications for Public Health Interventions.Preventing chronic disease · 2026Pooled it
- Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Practices Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- 24-hour Movement Behaviors in Minority Children from Low-income Families in the U.S.Advances in social sciences and management · 2026Article
- The healthy habits questionnaire (HHQ): Validation of a measure designed to assess problematic influential behaviours amongst families of children living with obesity or a risk of developing obesity.Clinical child psychology and psychiatry · 2025Article
- Integrating Genetic Insights, Technological Advancements, Screening, and Personalized Pharmacological Interventions in Childhood Obesity.Advances in therapy · 2025Review
- Associations between Meal Patterns and Risk of Overweight/Obesity in Children and Adolescents in Western Countries: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies and Randomised Controlled Trials.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Does a Healthy Lifestyle Lower the Elevated Risk of Obesity Caused by Caesarian Section Delivery in Children and Adolescents?Nutrients · 2022Article
- Adapting PCIT-Health for Telehealth Delivery: A Case Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Parental perceptions of the food environment and their influence on food decisions among low-income families: a rapid review of qualitative evidence.BMC public health · 2022Review
- Prevalence and Associated Factors of Excessive Recreational Screen Time Among Colombian Children and Adolescents.International journal of public health · 2022Article
- A Healthy Lifestyle Offsets the Increased Risk of Childhood Obesity Caused by High Birth Weight: Results From a Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2021Article
- The Evolving Family Mealtime: Findings From Focus Group Interviews With Hispanic Mothers.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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Abstract
objectiveTo investigate how mealtime setting, mealtime interaction and bedroom screens are associated with different trajectories of child overweight and obesity, using a population sample.
methodsGrowth mixture modelling used data from children in the Growing Up in Scotland Study born in 2004/5 (boys n = 2085, girls n = 1991) to identify trajectories of overweight or obesity across four time points, from 46 to 122 months. Using data from children present at all sweeps, and combining sexes (n = 2810), mutually adjusted associations between primary exposures (mealtime setting, mealtime interaction and bedroom screens) and trajectory class were explored in multinomial models; controlling for early life factors, household organisation and routines, and children's diet patterns, overall screen use, physical activity and sleep.
resultsFive trajectories were identified in both sexes: Low Risk (68% of sample), Decreasing Overweight (9%), Increasing Overweight (12%), High/Stable Overweight (6%) and High/Increasing Obesity (5%). Compared with the Low Risk trajectory, High/Increasing Obesity and High/Stable Overweight trajectories were characterised by early increases in bedroom screen access (respective relative risk ratios (RRR) and 95% confidence intervals: 2.55 [1.30-5.00]; 1.62 [1.01-2.57]). An informal meal setting (involving mealtime screen use, not eating in a dining area and not sitting at a table) characterised the High/Increasing Obesity and Increasing Overweight trajectories (respective RRRs compared with Low Risk trajectory: 3.67 [1.99-6.77]; 1.75 [1.17-2.62]). Positive mealtime interaction was associated with membership of the Increasing Overweight trajectory (RRR 1.64 [1.13-2.36]).
conclusionBedroom screen access and informal mealtime environments were associated with higher-risk overweight and obesity trajectories in a representative sample of Scottish children, after adjusting for a wide range of confounders. Findings may challenge the notion that positive mealtime interaction is protective. Promoting mealtimes in a screen-free dining area and removing screens from bedrooms may help combat childhood obesity.
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