Television Viewing Linked to Childhood Obesity

Television Viewing Linked to Childhood Obesity

FACT: In this computer age your child may be more technologically savvy than you are. While this is certainly not unusual, it may not be very good news. New studies have demonstrated that the amount of time spent sitting before an electronic screen - watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet - is linked to the increased instances of childhood obesity.

Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the incidence of obesity was highest among children who watched four or more hours of television a day, and lowest among children watching an hour or less per day. And consider this fact: according to an article in the Journal of the American Medicine Association, other than sleeping, children today spend more time in front of computer and television screens than any other daily activity.

It is little wonder that the American Academy of Pediatrics reports one in ten children is obese and one in five is overweight. The obesity epidemic now follows smoking as the most preventable cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC. And the Surgeon General's office warns that obesity is not an isolated issue, but instead brings with it related risks for harmful health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Statistics like these are causing increased concern for health experts.

Gone are the days when children begged for ten more minutes outside before dinner. Motivating children to go out and play has become an increasingly difficult task. According to the Center for Media Education, television is the top after-school activity chosen by children ages 6 to 17. In fact, a 2002 study published in Applied Developmental Psychology reports young people watch an average of three-and-one-half hours of television every day, and 56 percent of teens have a TV in their bedroom.

It is clear that daily physical activity and proper nutrition remain essential tools for combating childhood obesity. Many experts believe that cutting back television time is the most easily modifiable factor of childhood obesity; a recent Pediatrics study concluded television-watching increases the amount of time children spend inactive, as well as encouraging snacking as opposed to a nutritional meal.

The importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle has prompted local community leaders to join the Coalition for a Healthy and Active America (CHAA), a national grassroots organization whose mission is to bring together parents, schools and communities to craft responsible and balanced solutions to the problem of childhood obesity.

CHAA promotes a rededication to physical fitness and expanded nutrition education as the most crucial step in fighting childhood obesity. The coalition encourages families to turn off the television and turn up the amount of active play time as positive ways to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Participate in physical activity as a family, and set specific times for television viewing and computer use.

By working together, parents, schools, and communities can fight childhood obesity and help to reverse its harmful effects. Your kids may still know more than you about the family computer, but you can teach them a lot about a healthy and active lifestyle.