Passive, objective monitoring of preschoolers’ screen time to understand impacts on sleep, behavior, and weight
Official title: Leveraging passive objective assessment methods of preschooler's media use to examine multiple paths of influence on sleep, executive function and weight status
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11417443 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-year research program will use new passive measurement tools to study how preschoolers’ screen time on TV, games, and mobile devices relates to sleep, thinking skills, and body weight.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,241,458 |
| NIH project number | 5P01HD109876-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417443 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 0-11 years, with emphasis on preschoolers (approximately 1-5 years) and consideration of diverse racial/ethnic groups.
✕Less likely to help
Very young children or those outside the study’s age range may not directly benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
This program uses innovative, noninvasive devices to passively track how preschool children use screens across devices. It explores how different patterns of screen time relate to sleep quality, executive function, and weight status, and how parental support might influence these effects. By combining objective screen-time data with health and cognitive assessments, the study aims to clarify how early digital media use shapes development and health. The work is organized into multiple projects under a single program to identify pathways and potential protective factors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide parents and clinicians on healthy screen-time practices for young children and inform public-health recommendations.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research using traditional parent-reported measures has shown inconsistent results; this program’s objective measures may provide clearer insights and build on earlier work.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'connor, Teresia Margareta — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: O'connor, Teresia Margareta
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.