The Influence of Leisure Screen Time on Sleep Patterns and Feeding Behaviors in Primary School Children

Abstract

The increasing use of screen-based devices in children's daily lives has raised concerns about their effects on health behaviors such as sleep and feeding. This study investigated the relationship between leisure screen time and sleep and feeding problems in primary school children. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 322 children aged 7-10 years and their parents. Parents completed questionnaires measuring children's daily leisure screen time, sleep patterns, and feeding behaviors. Results showed that weekend leisure screen time (M = 149.4 minutes/day) was higher than weekdays. Significant positive correlations were found between leisure screen time and both total feeding problem scores (weekdays: r = 0.22; weekends: r = 0.25, p < .01) and sleep disturbances (weekdays: r = 0.29; weekends: r = 0.32, p < .01). The most affected areas were selective eating and sleep initiation/maintenance. Regression analysis revealed that weekend leisure screen time significantly predicted feeding problems (beta = 0.22, p = .001) and sleep disturbances (beta = 0.27, p < .001), explaining 8% and 12% of the variance, respectively. The findings indicate the importance of managing children's screen time - particularly on weekends - to support healthier sleep and eating patterns and guide family-based interventions.