Association between time consumption of electronic screens with eating behaviors and academic performance for pupils in elementary schools.

Abstract

Background: Evaluate the association between time consumption of electronic screens with eating behaviors and academic performance for pupils at elementary schools in Mosul city.

Method and materials: A descriptive study was carried out at elementary Mosul schools for sixth-grade pupils from December 2023 till March 2024. The sample was selected through two stages, the first stage of elementary schools, which occurred by using the probability (Systematic) sample from 20 elementary schools, the second stage used a nonprobability purposive sample selected sample which entailed 240 pupils from selected elementary schools. A questionnaire was developed that contains four parts: The first part contains two sections: the demographic information of students; the additional portion: information about pupils' time consumption of electronic screens. third part: the pupils' eating behaviors. Part four: the pupils' academic performance. By using a self-administration method for data collection. The questionnaire tool's validity was confirmed via 13 expert panels. A pilot study was conducted to measure reliability from December 28 to 30, 2023. By Cronbach's Alpha measurement, the results were 0. 815 at SPSS version 26. The data analysis techniques employed were statistical methods such as descriptive and statistical inference.

Results: The findings of the study are 73.8% (177) of the sample at a level good academic performance with a total mean of 24.35 and a standard deviation of 8.558 that 78.3% (188) of the sample a good level of pupils' behavior around food with a total mean of 49.47 and a standard deviation of 12.460. There is a nonsignificant correlation relationship between all-time consumption of electronic screens with all academic performance and behavior around food results in the study at P value ≤ 0.05 except the hours my child uses digital screens per day there is a significant positive correlation relationship with academic performance at P value of 0.007 and also with behavior around food at P value of 0.011.

Conclusion: The study results regarding the pupils' behavior around food for time consumption of electronic screens in the study offerings that the majority of the sample results a good level of behavior around food.