Use of smartphone, tablet and television during breakfast, lunch, and dinner in children from three months up to five years: Baseline results of the Smart Screen Health project (Spain, 2021–2022)

de Paz-Cantos, S. and González-Marrón, A. and Lidón-Moyano, C. and Díez-Izquierdo, A. and Oñoro, G. and Martínez-Sánchez, JM. (2025) Use of smartphone, tablet and television during breakfast, lunch, and dinner in children from three months up to five years: Baseline results of the Smart Screen Health project (Spain, 2021–2022). ACTA ALIMENTARIA: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, 54 (2). pp. 226-234. ISSN 0139-3006

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Abstract

Children have increased their screen time in recent years. The aim of this study was to describe the use of smartphone, tablet, and television (TV) during breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a sample of Spanish children from three months up to five years. A cross-sectional study was performed using a convenience sample, with 410 parents of Spanish children aged three months to five years. Data were collected from March 2021 to March 2022 using an ad hoc , self-administered, online questionnaire. Prevalence of use of smartphone, tablet, and TV during meals were calculated overall and according to characteristics of the child (i.e., sex and age of the child, having siblings, having older siblings) and characteristics of the respondent (i.e., relationship with the child, age, educational level). Chi-squared tests of independence were carried out to explore the association between smartphone, tablet, and TV usage and independent variables. The prevalence of use of any screen device was 18.3% during breakfast, 18.5% during lunch, and 19.0% during dinner. The percentage of smartphone, tablet, and TV use was higher in children aged two to five years compared to those from three months to two years, with statistically significant differences in the percentage of TV use during lunch and dinner between the two age groups and in the percentage of tablet use during dinner. In addition, the probability of using each of the devices at each of the meals was lower for children of parents with university educational level than for children of parents with non-university educational level. Overall, the use of screen devices during the mealtimes in this sample of children in Spain is high. Screen time should be avoided during mealtimes to encourage healthier behaviours, such as family communication and learning proper eating habits.

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