Associations of the perceived neighborhood environment and screen time in adolescents living in a medium-sized city in Brazil : a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Individual attributes have been investigated to explain sedentary behavior. However, few studies have evaluated this association at the neighborhood level. This study aimed to determine the association between screen time (ST) among adolescents and perceived neighborhood characteristics. This cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage household survey in Vespasiano, Brazil, in 2015–2016. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between the adolescent self-reported ST (television, computer, and video game > 2 h/day) and neighborhood characteristics (green space, sidewalk maintenance, street lighting, social disorder, safety during the day, and risk of violence) reported by an adult. Four hundred and twenty-three adolescents aged 11–17 participated in the study. ST was reported by 74.0% of the adolescents. After adjustment for confounder variables, neighborhood characteristics did not remain associated with ST. The results evidence no associations between ST among adolescents and perceived neighborhood environment and indicate the need for future studies of this relation.