Behavioral intervention to reduce television watching shows promise in improving activity levels

(11.) Ford et al., (2002). Primary care interventions to reduce television viewing. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 22, 106-109.

Target Group: 7 to 12 year old children (low income, African American)

Program Name: unknown

Location: United States (urban community clinic)

Study Rationale: Low income children are thought to watch greater amounts of television than their peers

Study Objective: To compare two potential primary care approaches: counseling alone and counseling plus a limited behavioral intervention including an electronic television time manager.

Study Design:
- randomized controlled study
- 28 families receiving primary care at an urban community clinic were randomized into two groups: counseling alone, or counseling plus a behavioral intervention
- main outcome of study was hours of children’s television, videotape and video game use, as determined through parent and child surveys; surveys conducted at baseline and at 4-week follow-up
- time spent in organized physical activity and physical activity outside was also evaluated pre and post intervention by questionnaire

Intervention or Program:
- all families received a brief counseling intervention, followed by a prepared script
1) Counseling Intervention:
- discussion of potential problems association with excessive television and video game use
- parents and children were given three brochures from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Television and the family, Understanding the impact of media on children and teens and The rating’s game: choosing your child’s entertainment

2) Behavioral Intervention:
- based in social cognitive theory; 15-20 minute discussion about setting television ‘budgets’ for children; - parents received a brochure called A Parent’s Guide to Reducing Children’s Television Viewing with instructions for three sequential steps: I) identify how much time your child currently spends watching TV, playing video games, etc. ii) choose a weekly TV/video budget 3) help your child stick to his/ her budget
- behavioral intervention group also received a electronic television monitor, which locks the power plug of the television to monitor and budget viewing time for each member of the household through the use of personal ID codes

Impact on Physical Activity:
- both intervention groups reported a similar decrease in children’s television, videotape and video game use (reduction of over 13 hours per week for both groups; behavioral intervention group showed slightly larger decrease)
- the behavioral intervention group increased participation in organized physical activity by 2.5 hours per week, which was significantly higher than changes in counseling group
- the behavioral intervention group increased time spent playing outside by an extra hour each week