Turnoff Week 2008: April 21-27, 2008
Turnoff Week (formerly TV Turnoff Week) will be held from April 21-2007, 2008. This annual event encourages people to go without televisions, electronic games and all other recreational electronics, including the computer. In place of these sedentary activities, participants are encouraged to be active, have fun with family and friends, and engage with their communities.
A survey conducted by Kaiser Permanente found that displaying Turnoff Week posters and handouts in pediatric waiting rooms increased the number of parents who talked with the clinician about screen-time and contemplated changes in screen use.[1] Over the last 15 years, Turnoff Week has had growing support from schools, libraries, pediatricians, and other community organizations. Nationally, Turnoff week is endorsed by 70 organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Target Audience: Families across Washington State, with a focus on school-aged children
Evaluation: Information on schools, community centers and on families that participate is collected using a form available online or in the organizer's tool kit. A statewide Media Impact Task Force is also being established and will participate in gathering feedback on Turnoff Week.
Partners: The Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness helps communities organize the project and provides posters and a organizer's kit (for purchase). Kaiser Permanente is a major partner in Washington.
For More Information:
[1] Jean Rystrom, Presentation at the Washington State Smart Screen-time Summit (pdf), May 2007
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Schools, families, and communities can work together to encourage active lifestyles. To achieve this objective, priority recommendations include adoption of school-based curricula and policies that provide quality, daily physical education for all students, encouragement of policies that provide K-12 students with opportunities for physical activity outside of formal PA classes, and provision of opportunities to replace sedentary behaviors, like TV watching.