By: Nikki Nies
**Disclaimer: While this is a generalization that every one watches an abundant amount of TV, I myself included, while you may not spend an excessive amount of time watching TV, it’s still good to understand the ramifications of excessive TV watching.**
Besides work–which is predominantly behind a computer screen more than ever, and sleep, TV viewing is the 3rd most time consuming activity in which Americans engage in on a regular basis. With such a statistic, it’s no surprise that large amounts of TV viewing may contribute to obesity via the promotion of sedentary behavior and exposure to food related commercials.
While TV is convenient, enjoyable and relatively inexpensive, many families watch more TV than the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends. AAP recommends no TV for those younger than 2 years old and no more than 2 hours for those 2 years and older.
Excessive TV watching can lead to:
- Higher rates of attention problems in children
- Children may become upset and/or aggressive by excessive violence seen on TV
- TV watching may be unhealthily be used as a means to void social interaction with others
- TV watching is a means of entertainment and leads to physical inactivity/physical development impairments
- Increased food consumption–studies have found children consume 45% when sitting in front of the tube
- Increased exposure to branded foods, drinks and restaurants and product placement of unhealthy products
- Food marketing inherently influence food preferences and grocery shopping requests!
If you’re thinking to yourself, 2 hours of TV is an unrealistic request, small gradual changes can make a world of difference! For example, making bedrooms Internet and TV free can cut the number of hours of screen in no time!
Check out this list of 174,203 things you can do besides watching TV: http://whole9life.com/2011/05/instead-of-tv/
After going through the above list, what new and/or old things are you going to try? After looking at the list, you can’t help, but NOT want to watch TV, right?
Sources: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002329.htm
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