Less TV Doesn't Necessarily Translate Into More Exercise For Kids

Turning off the television doesn't necessarily mean that children are more inclined to be physically active. A 2007 study, conducted by medical researchers in Massachusetts and published in the journal Pediatrics, was aimed at examining the associations between television viewing and physical activity in adolescence. The four-year study of more than 10,000 U.S. children found no relationship between TV watching and leisure-time exercise.

This is useful information as parents are becoming more aware of the serious health crisis facing overweight American youth. It is not enough just to turn off the TV or limit other sedentary activity with the assumption that exercise will prevail. Planning for (and following through with) regular physical activity like family bike riding, walking, or hiking is an important component of a healthy lifestyle, for everyone.

Dr. Rees

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