Relationship between Gender, Physical Activity, Screen Time, Body Mass Index and Wellbeing in Irish Children from Social-Disadvantage

Figures & data

Table 1. Cronbachs alpha reliability scores for the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire based on results from the SFL:AI sample.

	N with valid values	No. of items	Cronbachs Alpha
Physical Wellbeing T-Score	649	5	0.66
Psychological Wellbeing T-Score	637	7	0.66
Autonomy and Parents T-Score	648	7	0.70
Peer and Social Support T-Score	677	4	0.75
School Environment T-Score	672	4	0.72

Table 2. Descriptive data for the physical characteristics, the types of screen time activities and objectively measured MVPA participation according to gender.

Variable	Boys		Girls		T	p -Value
	M	SD	M	SD
Age (years) (n = 344 boys, n = 322 girls)	8.77	.52	8.71	.52	1.536	.125
Min per day television viewing (n = 347 boys, n = 312 girls)	53.24	53.47	55.03	50.59	−.439	.661
Min per day DVD usage (n = 346 boys, n = 312 girls)	41.94	52.52	36.91	45.74	1.304	.193
Min per day computer usage (n = 347 boys, n = 312 girls)	86.38	81.17	44.30	62.11	7.412	.001**
Min of MVPA per day (n = 118 boys, n = 106 girls)	38.07	16.41	31.80	11.71	3.258	.001**
BMI (kg divided by m^2) (n = 364 boys, n = 340 girls)	17.72	3.10	18.07	3.78	−1.312	.190

Note: M = mean; SD = standard deviation; Min per day = minutes per day; BMI = body mass index; MVPA = moderate-to-vigorous physical activity **p ≤ .01.

Table 3. Overall daily screen time according to gender and weight status.

Variable	Boys (n = 347)		Girls (n = 312)		T	p -Value
	M	SD	M	SD
Min per day overall screen time	181.45	140.04	136.24	120.04	4.425	.001**
	Healthy Weight (n = 443)		OW or Obese (n = 185)		T	p -Value
	M	SD	M	SD
Min per day overall screen time	157.95	131.19	160.80	124.34	−.251	.802

Note: M = mean; SD = standard deviation; Min per day = minutes per day; OW = overweight.

Gender and weight status differences in daily minutes screen time examined using independent t-tests; **p ≤ .01.

Figure 1. Percentage of boys and girls meeting 30–60 min MVPA per day.

Figure 2. Percentage of healthy weight, overweight and obese participants meeting 30–60 min MVPA per day.

Table 4. Coefficients for correlations among types of screen time activities, total wellbeing, PA and BMI scores according to gender.

Correlations Variables	Daily Television Viewing	Daily DVD Viewing	Daily Computer Usage	Daily Screen Time
Boys
Total Wellbeing	−.131*	−.153*	−.178**	−.214**
MVPA per day	−.093	.122	.051	.044
BMI scores	.001	−.035	−.027	−.028
Girls
Total Wellbeing	−.140*	−.090	−.097	−.140*
MVPA per day	−.225*	−.025	−.202*	−.224*
BMI scores	.070	.157	.043	.112

Note: BMI = body mass index; MVPA = moderate to vigorous physical activity. *p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01.