Watching television has become an increasingly common recreational activity for children. In tandem with this trend, noted an expert panel in “The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,” obesity among American children has increased significantly. Although experts debate the factors in this link, the panel noted that numerous studies have definitively proven a causative link between television and childhood obesity.
Causal Connection
Children who spend a lot of time watching television tend to be overweight, warns the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. More specifically, both a child’s body fat percentage and his risk of becoming obese increase “as the number of hours spent viewing rises,” explains “The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.” To illustrate the correlation, ScienceDaily describes a study finding that when pre-teen girls watch too much television, they "were 2.6 times more likely to be overweight than girls who watched less than two hours."
Influence of Commercials
Simply watching television doesn’t cause obesity directly, explains the “American Journal of Public Health”; instead, watching television ads creates the tendency. Not only do many television commercials advertise food, the expert panel in “The Annals” concurs, the advertised foods tend to be unhealthy and fatty. Constantly seeing unhealthy foods presented as delicious and desirable influences children to make unhealthy food choices in general, the panel concluded.
Lack of Exercise
Some people assume that watching television causes obesity because it prevents people from being active. However, most research has found only a weak connection between television’s “displacement of physical activity” and an increase in obesity, concluded the expert panel in “The Annals.” One study, published in the “Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine,” found that when overweight children watch less television, their BMIs decrease. This BMI reduction, however, did not relate to increased activity—rather, it related to decreased food intake. Another study, published in the “American Journal of Public Health,” similarly disproved the link between obesity and TV’s sedentary nature.
Eating While Watching
Children tend to eat unhealthy foods while watching television, explains “The Annals.” Further, watching television relates to eating apart from hunger. Munching snacks while channel surfing simply becomes habitual; as a result, children who spend more time watching television also tend to consume more calories, as the “Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine” corroborates.
Home Environment
Parents directly influence their children’s television watching habits by limiting how much television their kids watch and by setting an example. When parents depend on television for recreation and avoid governing how much their children can watch, they place their children at a higher risk of obesity, explains ScienceDaily.
Solutions
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting a child’s television time to two hours per day, ScienceDaily notes. Turning off the television during meals, teaches the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, improves the home environment and helps prevent obesity. To minimize the subconscious influence of food advertisements, the Academy also advises, parents should discuss with their children the purpose and influence of the ads.
References
- “The Annals of the American Academy...”; Children, Television Viewing...; Jordan and Robinson; 2008
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Children and Watching TV
- ScienceDaily: How Does Increased Television Watching 'Weigh into' Childhood Obesity?
- “American Journal of Public Health”; Associations of...; Zimmerman et al.; 2010
- “Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine”; A Randomized Trial...; Epstein et al.; 2008
Member Comments