University of Arizona study finds TV is primary source of mealtime screen time

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics indicates that media consumption during family meals is common among many households. Research conducted by University of Arizona communications professors involved 357 American parents with children aged 4 to 10.

The findings revealed that 77.6 percent of parents reported consuming some form of media during their most recent family meal. Contrary to common perceptions of children using smartphones or tablets, the most frequent form of mealtime media consumption was watching content on a large-screen device, such as a television.