Pennington study links television in bedrooms to childhood obesity

Researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center found a link between obesity and children having TV sets in their bedrooms.

The report, published Tuesday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that children with TV sets in their bedrooms were likely to watch more TV, have more fat and a higher waist circumference than boys and girls who didn’t have TVs in their bedrooms. They were also three times more likely to have elevated cardiometabolic risk and elevated triglycerides.

The report was based on a yearlong study of nearly 370 Baton Rouge children, ranging in ages 5 to 18.

Amanda Staiano, a postdoctoral research fellow who co-authored the report along with Peter Katzmarzyk, a professor at Pennington, said a bedroom TV may create additional disruption to healthy habits in children.

“For instance, having a bedroom TV is related to lower amounts of sleep and lower prevalence of regular family meals, independent of total TV viewing time,” Staiano said in a statement. “Both short sleep duration and lack of regular family meals have been related to weight gain and obesity.”

Katzmarzyk said it is hypothesized that higher levels of TV viewing and the presence of a TV in the bedroom are associated with cardiometabolic risk.

The average American child between 8 to 18 watches about 4.5 hours of TV each day. Seventy percent of children have a TV in the bedroom and about one-third are considered obese.

Earlier studies have shown that TV viewing time during childhood continues into adulthood, resulting in excess weight and elevated total cholesterol.

Comments

1) Comment by free_market - 12/12/2012

I wonder how much this study cost and if it was funded by tax dollars or private dollars. Either way, seems a waste of money to study something with an answer quite obvious to anyone with a even a little bit of common sense.

2) Comment by ultimateliberal - 12/12/2012

This is so disgusting, that parents let this happen to their kids. Bet those kids were snacking on Hostess goodies while watching TV. The human race has gone to #&(( with all these stupid sedentary habits--exercising only the thumbs and wrists, for instance. Bet these kids also have low levels of vitamin D due to lack of sunshine. They will also develop COPD from lack of fresh air, deep vein thrombosis from sitting all day long, and diabetes from obesity, lack of exercise, and sugary snacks. Who is parenting appropriately these days? I wouldn't give my kid under the age of 17 ANY electronic devices, ever!! They can watch TV and use the computer under my watchful eye and with a timer in my pocket, They can use a cell phone (blocked for texting) when out with friends. Other than that, my kids would be socializing/exercising at the playground or the back yard, or practicing music for their marching bands. We idiot parents did this to our children. Will we make the effort to help them become healthy?

3) Comment by grimcity - 12/12/2012

I conducted a study close to Pennington (the McDonald's on College) and found a link between obesity and massive fat intake. Seriously, there's a connection. I haven't got it all figured out yet, but I think I'm well on my way to getting this study published.

4) Comment by Hello Baton Rouge - 12/12/2012

Are there really still kids who don't have a TV in their bedroom? Did Pennington also figure cell phones and video games into this study? Kids don't go outside and run/bike anymore because of all electronics, not just TVs.