The information in this resource is intended only to provide educational information. This profile describes the estimated benefits, activities, resources, and leadership needed to implement a strategy to improve child health. This information can be useful for planning and prioritization purposes.
- Policy to limit noneducational television time in licensed early care and education (ECE) programs to 30 minutes per week for young children ages 2-5.
What population benefits?
Children ages 2-5 who attend licensed early care and education programs.
What are the estimated benefits?
Relative to not implementing the strategy
Reduce child daily television time which can help promote healthy child weight.
What activities and resources are needed?
| Activities | Resources | Who Leads? |
| Assess compliance with new policy to limit television time to no more than 30 minutes per week | • Time for state licensor to assess compliance with new policy during monitoring visit • Time for early care and education directors to participate in monitoring visit |
State early care and education licensing agency |
| Provide materials and equipment for promoting physical activity (such as CDs with activity-promoting music and templates for parent newsletters) | • Time for state licensor to provide technical assistance related to policy to limit television time • Time for early care and education directors to receive technical assistance related to policy |
State early care and education licensing agency |
| Produce educational materials about new policy for early care and education directors | • Cost of educational materials | State early care and education licensing agency |
Strategy Modification
This strategy could be implemented at the state or local level through different mechanisms, including as a requirement for early care and education (ECE) programs participating in a state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) or as best practice recommendations for ECE providers issued by a local health department or via a resolution from a local board of health, alone or in combination with other health-related objectives. Using these mechanisms, the impact on health and the activities and resources needed to carry out the television time policy are expected to be similar, however the cost and reach may vary.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Kenney EL, Mozaffarian RS, Long MW, Barrett JL, Cradock AL, Giles CM, Ward ZJ, Gortmaker SL. Limiting television to reduce childhood obesity: cost-effectiveness of five population strategies. Child Obes. 2021 Oct;17(7):442-448. doi: 10.1089/chi.2021.0016.
Selected CHOICES research brief including cost-effectiveness metrics:
Grant T, Wiggins C, Shelson S, Cradock AL, Gortmaker SL, Pipito A, Kenney EL, Giles CM. Mississippi: State Regulations to Reduce Non-Educational Screen Time for Young Children in Licensed Care {Issue Brief}. Mississippi State Department of Health, Jackson, MS, and the CHOICES Learning Collaborative Partnership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; April, 2017. Available at: https://choicesproject.org/publications/brief-state-regulations-screen-time-mississippi
Case S, Simpson K, Khan F, U’ren S, Giles C, Kenney EL, Flax CN, Gortmaker SL, Ward ZJ, Cradock AL. Oklahoma: Updated Requirements in Reaching for the Stars to Reduce Non-Educational Screen Time for Young Children in Family Child Care Homes {Issue Brief}. Oklahoma State Department of Health and Oklahoma State Department of Human Services, Oklahoma City, OK, and the CHOICES Learning Collaborative Partnership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; October 2017. Available at: https://choicesproject.org/publications/brief-ece-screen-time-oklahoma
Pharis M, Lawman H, Root M, Dryden S, Wagner A, Bettigole C, Mozaffarian, RS, Kenney EL, Cradock AL, Gortmaker SL, Giles CM, Ward ZJ. Philadelphia, PA: Childcare Policies Can Build a Better Future {Issue Brief}. Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, and the CHOICES Learning Collaborative Partnership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; December 2017. Available at: https://choicesproject.org/publications/brief-screen-time-philadelphia
Hill AB, Mozaffarian RS, Barrett JL, Cradock AL. Detroit: Best Practice Guidelines for Healthy Childcare {Issue Brief}. Detroit Health Department and United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Detroit, MI, and the CHOICES Learning Collaborative Partnership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; December 2019. Available at: https://choicesproject.org/publications/brief-ece-detroit
- Browse more CHOICES research briefs & reports in the CHOICES Resource Library.
- Explore and compare this strategy with other strategies on the CHOICES National Action Kit.
Suggested Citation
CHOICES Strategy Profile: Policy to Reduce TV Time in Early Care and Education Settings. CHOICES Project Team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; September 2023.
Funding
This work is supported by The JPB Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U48DP006376). The information provided here is intended to be used for educational purposes. Links to other resources and websites are intended to provide additional information aligned with this educational purpose. The findings and conclusions are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other funders.
Adapted from the TIDieR (Template for Intervention Description and Replication) Checklist