Television makes children fat in the long term

Study: TV leads to long-term overweight in children

07/18/2012

When small children watch a lot of television, the long term effect on weight is how Canadian researchers determined during the course of a study. According to this, high-school-age schoolchildren in the fourth grade have a larger hip size than peers who prefer other activities such as sports or free play.

A lot of TV instead of sports activities
A Canadian research team led by Caroline Fitzpatrick and Linda Pagani from the University of Montreal examined 1,300 children aged two and a half with regard to their television habits. The scientists noted the time that the little ones spent on average in front of the TV. Until the age of ten years, the survey was repeated several times. At the end of the study period, the researchers measured the hip circumference of the children and let them make a long jump from the state, to conclude on muscle strength and athletic performance.

The result was clear: children with a high TV viewing had a larger hip circumference and were less athletic than my old comrades, who instead of watching television went about other activities. For the first time, Canadian researchers were able to establish a scientifically proven, direct correlation between television behavior and the weight and agility of children. Although the values ​​between the more athletic children and those who watched a lot of television were relatively low, the negative effects increase over the years, the researchers report. „High TV consumption not only displaces active forms of leisure activities, but may also teach a false picture of healthy eating“, explains Linda Pagani.

While up to two hours of daily television viewing in the US is considered appropriate for children from the age of two, the German Federal Examination Office for the Media of the Young at Adults advises children under the age of three not to watch TV. For four to five year olds, a maximum of half an hour per day is best recommended in the presence of an adult.

TV advertising leads to overweight in children
On average, children watch between 20,000 and 40,000 commercials a year while watching TV. About half of all advertising films refer to sugary sodas, sweets and savory biscuits. This was the result of an evaluation by the German Society for Paediatrics and Youth Medicine (DGKJ) last year. The little ones are particularly receptive to advertising because they can not yet differentiate promotions on television. Many doctors fear that the high advertising consumption in children leads to unhealthy diet and thus to overweight. (Ag)

Also read:
Advertising on TV makes children overweight
3D television is dangerous to health?
Fast food and sodas make you old

Picture: Paul Golla