Media-fasting in children and adolescents: a prospective study of screen-free day intentions across age groups.

Intensive use of screens during childhood is associated with health risks. This brief report evaluates whether a media-fasting intervention increases the number of screen-free days and intentions to reduce screen media use in different pediatric age groups. A 6-week voluntary intervention, including pre- and post-intervention surveys, was conducted in six pediatric practices (North Rhine-Westphalia, spring 2019). Among 407 children and adolescents initially enrolled, 229 completed the post-intervention survey (43.7% drop-out); 169 were matched for pre/post analysis. "Screen-free days" were defined as 24 h with no recreational screen exposure. Data were self-reported; SES was not assessed. Adjusted mixed-effects models were employed to appropriately account for the longitudinal structure of the data across measurement occasions. Younger children reported significantly more screen-free days than adolescents, both pre- and post-intervention. Intentions for screen-free days increased after the intervention, especially in the 6-9 and 10-13 year groups. Most participants already avoided screens during meals and at night. Neither age nor gender was significantly associated with screen time.

conclusionMedia-fasting may promote more frequent screen-free days, particularly in younger children. Owing to substantial attrition, the absence of SES data, and reliance on self-reports, findings should be interpreted with caution. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Excessive childhood screen use is linked to adverse health outcomes. • Interventions for reducing screen time have shown inconsistent efficacy. WHAT IS NEW: • This study demonstrates age-dependent effects of a brief media-fasting intervention. • Simple family-targeted approaches may promote screen-free days in younger youth.