Programs to reduce screen time for young people tend to be less effective if there is no green space nearby for them to escape to.
A University of Michigan study said the findings gave fresh insights into why community programs are sometimes less effective in certain ethnic communities.
“Both our study and national data show green space is less common in communities with higher Hispanic and Black populations,” lead author Ian Lang said.
“These unfair differences in green space access might explain why community programs and policies are less effective in reducing screen time among different racial groups.”
The study, published in the journal Health and Place, said about two-thirds of children aged six to 17 exceeded the recommended limit of two hours of screen time each day.
It found community programs and policies aimed at reducing screen use “seem to fare better when children have a space to play outside of their homes”.
“Neighbourhood green spaces may draw children out of the house and give them an alternative space to engage in activities other than screen time,” Mr Lang said.
“Thus, in neighbourhoods where green space is sparser, the environment may be less encouraging and less successful at pulling children away from the screen.
“Simply increasing the intensity of screen-time reduction programs may not be effective in environments that do not support behaviour change.”
The full report is on the University of Michigan website.
