Associations Between Screen Time, Physical Activity, and Sleep Patterns in Children Aged 3-7 Years-A Multicentric Cohort Study in Urban Environment

In most developed countries, children's use of digital media has increased significantly. Concerns about how screen time (ST) affects physical activity (PA), sleep patterns (SL), and overall health habits have prompted further exploration of these associations. This study examined ST, PA, and SL patterns in children aged 3-7 years living in an urban environment. A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted using the Surveillance of Digital Media Habits in Early Childhood Questionnaire (SMALLQ (R)). Parents of 243 children completed the questionnaire, providing data on their children's ST, SL, and PA habits during weekdays and weekends. A series of ANOVA tests were performed to assess differences in weekday and weekend ST, PA, and SL across age groups and sexes, as well as to compare these results with UN recommendations. The findings revealed a non-significant trend in ST and a significant effect of age group on PA during both weekdays and weekends, as well as on weekend SL. No significant differences based on sex were observed. Additionally, the comparison indicated that 3-5-year-old preschool children exceeded the recommended ST during weekends, while 6-7-year-old first-grade elementary children failed to meet the PA recommendations. These results highlight the critical role of age-related changes in shaping PA and SL behaviors in young children, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to foster healthy habits in early childhood.