Data Points Time Spent

American kids may have become more serious about academics. Investigators from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research surveyed 2,908 U.S. children and adolescents aged six to 17 years in 2002–2003 and compared the data with a smaller survey conducted in 1981–1982.

Hours spent per week:

                          2002–2003    1981–1982

Sleeping                       68.2            62.63

Attending school            32.45           26.35

Watching television         14.6           15.73

Playing games                 8.08            7.33

Eating                             7.1              8.47

Studying                         3.97            2.63

Playing sports                   2.98           4.07

Using a computer              2.75             0

Reading                            1.28          1.15

SOURCE: Changing Times of American Youth: 1981–2003, by F. Thomas Juster, Hiromi Ono and Frank P. Stafford, University of Michigan, 2004. About 20 hours per week is unaccounted for in the 1981–1982 survey, as opposed to 45 minutes in 2002–2003.

Hours spent per week:

                          2002–2003    1981–1982

Sleeping                       68.2            62.63

Attending school            32.45           26.35

Watching television         14.6           15.73

Playing games                 8.08            7.33

Eating                             7.1              8.47

Studying                         3.97            2.63

Playing sports                   2.98           4.07

Using a computer              2.75             0

Reading                            1.28          1.15

SOURCE: Changing Times of American Youth: 1981–2003, by F. Thomas Juster, Hiromi Ono and Frank P. Stafford, University of Michigan, 2004. About 20 hours per week is unaccounted for in the 1981–1982 survey, as opposed to 45 minutes in 2002–2003.