Relationship Between Self‐report and an Objective Measure of Television‐viewing Time in Adults

This study compared self‐reported television (TV)‐viewing time with an objective measure obtained by an electronic TV monitor. As part of a larger study, 40 overweight and obese adults (BMI: 31.7 ± 5.4 kg/m2; 53% obese; mean age 41.4 ± 13.0) self‐reported TV‐viewing time at study entry as the response to the question, “How many hours do you watch TV per day, on average?” Objective TV‐viewing time was measured in min/day over 3 weeks/subject using electronic monitors. Self‐reported viewing time was 4.3 ± 1.3 h/day (mean ± s.d.) (range: 3.0–8.0 h/day) vs. 4.9 ± 2.6 h/day (0.8–13.3 h/day) recorded by the electronic TV monitor. Subjects underestimated their viewing time by 0.6 ± 2.3 h/day (95% confidence interval = −1.34, 0.13), or 4.3 h/week. Slightly over half of the subjects (58%) underestimated their viewing time; 47.5% were within 1 h/day, and 72.5% were within 2 h/day of self‐reported viewing time. Large errors were rare in this group, suggesting that a simple self‐report measure of TV time may be useful for characterizing viewing behavior, although objective measurement adds precision that may be useful in certain settings.

[1]  D. Altman,et al.  STATISTICAL METHODS FOR ASSESSING AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO METHODS OF CLINICAL MEASUREMENT , 1986, The Lancet.

[2]  N. Day,et al.  Television viewing and low participation in vigorous recreation are independently associated with obesity and markers of cardiovascular disease risk: EPIC-Norfolk population-based study , 2003, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

[3]  E. Rimm,et al.  Activity level and risk of overweight in male health professionals. , 1996, American journal of public health.

[4]  Walter C Willett,et al.  Television watching and other sedentary behaviors in relation to risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. , 2003, JAMA.

[5]  R. Wing,et al.  Decreasing household television time: a pilot study of a combined behavioral and environmental intervention , 2006 .

[6]  J. Shaw,et al.  Association of television viewing with fasting and 2-h postchallenge plasma glucose levels in adults without diagnosed diabetes. , 2007, Diabetes care.

[7]  F. Kronenberg,et al.  Influence of leisure time physical activity and television watching on atherosclerosis risk factors in the NHLBI Family Heart Study. , 2000, Atherosclerosis.

[8]  J. Shaw,et al.  Physical activity and television viewing in relation to risk of undiagnosed abnormal glucose metabolism in adults. , 2004, Diabetes care.

[9]  D. Crawford,et al.  Television viewing, physical inactivity and obesity , 1999, International Journal of Obesity.

[10]  A. Bauman,et al.  The association between television viewing and overweight among Australian adults participating in varying levels of leisure-time physical activity , 2000, International Journal of Obesity.

[11]  D. Commerce.  Statistical abstract of the United States , 1978 .

[12]  E. Rimm,et al.  Predictors of weight change in men: Results from The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study , 1998, International Journal of Obesity.

[13]  A. Beckett,et al.  AKUFO AND IBARAPA. , 1965, Lancet.

[14]  U. C. Bureau.  Statistical Abstract of the United States , 2004 .

[15]  Jean-Michel Oppert,et al.  Sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged French subjects. , 2005, Obesity research.