A University of Michigan-led study reveals that unequal access to green spaces affects the effectiveness of screen time reduction programs for children, highlighting the need for equitable investments in green environments.
Programs aiming to reduce children’s screen time are significantly more effective when kids have access to outdoor green spaces, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Michigan. Unequal access to these spaces undermines the success of such programs, especially in neighborhoods with higher populations of Hispanic and Black residents.
The study, published in the journal Health & Place, highlights how disparities in access to parks, forests and grasslands can lead to inequities in children’s screen time habits, potentially influencing their overall health and development.
“Because prior studies have shown differences in the effectiveness of community programming and policies by race and ethnicity, we set out to show why this may be the case. We thought that access to green space might be a key factor, given that national research shows racial and ethnic inequities in green space availability,” first author Ian-Marshall Lang, a researcher at U-M’s School of Kinesiology, said in a news release.
The researchers utilized data from the Healthy Communities Study, examining neighborhood environments and their impact on obesity-related behaviors among racially and ethnically diverse children. The findings are critical given that approximately two-thirds of children ages 6-17 exceed the recommended daily limit of two hours of screen time.
“This raises the question of who has access to high green space. Both our study and national data show green space is less common in communities with higher Hispanic and Black populations,” Lang added.
Children in these areas often lack safe, accessible outdoor spaces, which in turn diminishes the success of community-based programs designed to reduce screen time.
Neighborhood green spaces can provide children with alternative activities to screen time, such as playing and engaging in physical activities, which are vital for their development. However, the study discovered that intensified community programs have limited effectiveness in areas lacking supportive green environments.
“More intense programs were associated with lower screen time in places with plenty of green space nearby, but not places with low or moderate green space,” Lang added.
This underscores the need for comprehensive solutions that go beyond merely increasing the intensity of programs.
The implications of the study point towards the necessity for more equitable investments in green spaces.
“This work is particularly important for organizations that have the responsibility and power to make equitable investments in green spaces to support the health of children,” Lang added.
Efforts like the 10-Minute Walk Program, which aims to ensure that everyone in U.S. cities has access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk of their home, could play a significant role in addressing these disparities. By creating fair and healthy environments for all communities, such initiatives can promote better health outcomes and more successful screen time reduction strategies.