Association between screen time and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents in Korea: The 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Objective: To examine the association between screen time and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a nationally representative sample of children and adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 845 children and adolescents (10-18 years of age) from the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES). Screen time was defined as TV time + computer time. The definition of MetS was based on the modified criteria used by the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III, using age- and sex-specific values for some of the criteria. Results: In comparison with the children and adolescents in the ST-Q1 (<= 16 h for a week), the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for MetS of subjects in the ST-Q4 (>= 35 h for a week) was 2.23 (95% CI, 1.02-4.86) after the adjustment for age, household income, and residence area. Moreover, screen time for a weekend day was also strongly associated with the prevalence of MetS, but not for a weekday. Conclusions: Screen time was independently associated with an increased prevalence risk of MetS in children and adolescents in Korea. Public health intervention to reduce screen time particularly for a weekend may be needed to prevent pediatric MetS in Korea. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.