Neighborhood environments underpin screen time intervention success in children: Evidence from a study of greenspace and community programming across 130 US communities

• Published in: Health & place 2024-09, Vol.89, p.103341, Article 103341
• Main Authors: Lang, Ian-Marshall, Fischer, Anna L., Antonakos, Cathy L., Miller, Stephanie S., Hasson, Rebecca E., Pate, Russell R., Collie-Akers, Vicki L., Colabianchi, Natalie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child; Childhood; Community programming; Environment Design; Ethnicity - statistics & numerical data; Female; Greenspace equity; Health disparities; Humans; Male; Neighborhood Characteristics; Parks, Recreational; Racial Groups; Screen Time; United States
• ISSN: 1353-8292; 1873-2054; 1873-2054
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103341

The goal of this study was to understand how neighborhood greenspace access may support or hinder the effectiveness of community programs and policies (CPPs) aimed at reducing racial and ethnic inequities in screen time among 4598 US children. We found higher CPP intensity was significantly associated with fewer screen time behaviors in high greenspace neighborhoods, but not neighborhoods with low or moderate greenspace. Moreover, there were significant differences in greenspace access by neighborhood-level race and ethnicity. Implementing CPPs without regard for racial and ethnic greenspace inequities may be an underlying cause in the perpetuation of inequities in childhood screen time. •Screen time behavior was more prevalent in neighborhoods with ≥30% Black residents.•There was less greenspace in neighborhoods with ≥30% Black or Hispanic residents.•In less green areas, intervention intensity was not associated with screen time.•In greener areas, higher intervention intensity was associated with less screen time.•Mitigating racial inequities in screen time is undermined by greenspace inequities.