AIM: To describe the time children spend watching television (TV) and to assess associations between TV viewing time, the family environment and weight status. METHODS: Parents reported the amount of time children watched TV/video both for 'the previous school day' and 'usually' and described aspects of the family environment influencing TV access as part of a large cross-sectional study in the Barwon South-western region of Victoria, Australia. Child weight status was based on measured height and weight. All data were collected in 2003/2004. RESULTS: A total of 1926 children aged 4-12 years participated. Parent-reported mean +/- SE TV time for the previous school day was 83 +/- 1.5 min. Children who lived in a family with tight rules governing TV viewing time (22%), or who never watched TV during dinner (33%), or had only one TV in the household (23%) or had no TV in their bedroom (81%) had significantly less TV time than their counterparts. Overweight or obese children had more TV time than healthy weight children 88 +/- 2.9 versus 82 +/- 1.7 min per day (P=0.04). They were also more likely to live in a household where children had a TV in their bedroom than healthy weight children (25% vs. 17%, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Strategies to reduce TV time should be included as part of broader strategies to prevent childhood obesity. They should include messages to parents about not having a TV in children's bedrooms, encouraging family rules restricting TV viewing, and not having the TV on during dinner.
AIM: To describe the time children spend watching television (TV) and to assess associations between TV viewing time, the family environment and weight status. METHODS: Parents reported the amount of time children watched TV/video both for 'the previous school day' and 'usually' and described aspects of the family environment influencing TV access as part of a large cross-sectional study in the Barwon South-western region of Victoria, Australia. Child weight status was based on measured height and weight. All data were collected in 2003/2004. RESULTS: A total of 1926 children aged 4-12 years participated. Parent-reported mean +/- SE TV time for the previous school day was 83 +/- 1.5 min. Children who lived in a family with tight rules governing TV viewing time (22%), or who never watched TV during dinner (33%), or had only one TV in the household (23%) or had no TV in their bedroom (81%) had significantly less TV time than their counterparts. Overweight or obesechildren had more TV time than healthy weight children 88 +/- 2.9 versus 82 +/- 1.7 min per day (P=0.04). They were also more likely to live in a household where children had a TV in their bedroom than healthy weight children (25% vs. 17%, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Strategies to reduce TV time should be included as part of broader strategies to prevent childhood obesity. They should include messages to parents about not having a TV in children's bedrooms, encouraging family rules restricting TV viewing, and not having the TV on during dinner.
Authors: Eun-Young Lee; Kylie D Hesketh; Ryan E Rhodes; Christina M Rinaldi; John C Spence; Valerie Carson Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2018-02-09 Impact factor: 6.457
Authors: Ernesto R Ramirez; Gregory J Norman; Dori E Rosenberg; Jacqueline Kerr; Brian E Saelens; Nefertiti Durant; James F Sallis Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2010-10-15 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Dori E Rosenberg; James F Sallis; Jacqueline Kerr; Jason Maher; Gregory J Norman; Nefertiti Durant; Sion K Harris; Brian E Saelens Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2010-01-31 Impact factor: 6.457