Screen time and extracurricular sports participation among children in a local community in Serbia
Introduction: There is evidence that higher levels of screen time are associated with various negative effects on children's health. On the other hand, amounts of physical activity greater than 60 minutes provide additional health benefits. The aim of our study was to compare screen time and participation in extracurricular sports activities between two groups of adolescents in Inđija. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Primary Healthcare Center Inđija. 200 students participated, of which 100 fifth grade elementary school students and 100 first grade secondary school students. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, which was designed for this study. Results: In our study 200 of students participated, of which 41% were boys. Secondary school students ignored the recommendations for daily screen time significantly more than elementary school students, on workdays (ch²=28.06, p<0.01), and at weekends (ch²=40.996, p<0.01). Elementary school students participated in extracurricular sports significantly more than secondary school students (ch²=5.225, p<0.05). High school boys participated in extracurricular sports considerably more than high school girls (ch²=16.234, p<0.01), and elementary school girls also participated more than high school girls (ch²=7.966, p<0.05). Conclusion: This research showed that more than half of the students in Inđija ignored the recommendations for screen time on workdays and at weekends, high school students considerably more than elementary school students. Approximately forty percents of the students did not participate in extracurricular sports. Elementary school students participate in extracurricular activities significantly more than secondary school students, with significant decline in high school girls.