Evaluation of the Correlation among Screen Time, Sleep Quality, and Overweight in Preschool Children in the City of Qazvin, Iran during 2019-2020

Background and Objective: The widespread use of digital devices by children has become a significant threat to global health. This study was conducted to evaluate the correlation among screen time, sleep quality, and overweight in preschool children. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 100 preschool children (46 boys and 54 girls) aged 3 to 6 years and their parents in the city of Qazvin, Iran during 2019-2020. Data were collected using interviews and the Factors Associated with Screen Time in Iranian Children and Adolescents Questionnaire (Mozafarian et al., 2017). Results: Seventy-six percent of the children were the firstborn in their families. The mean cumulative screen time for the children was four hours per day. Fifty percent of the parents did not adequately supervise their child’s television screen time at home. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and television screen time duration (r=0.24, P=0.01). With an increase in the children’s cumulative screen time, a statistically significant decrease was observed in the child’s sleep duration (r=−0.21, P=0.04). Although mothers had a significantly higher mean screen time compared to fathers (P<0.001), children’s television screen time exhibited a statistically significant correlation with their fathers’ television screen time (r=0.23, P=0.002). Conclusion: The mean screen time for preschool children is high. Furthermore, the mean screen time is associated with children’s decreased sleep duration and increased BMI.