The Relationship Between Television and Childhood Obesity

The Relationship between Television and Childhood Obesity

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There is a link between childhood obesity and watching television. Allowing children to watch too much television, eating the wrong types of food and not being physically active is contributing to the health problems that are associated with childhood obesity. Childhood obesity can lead to elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Children seem to spend more time watching television, playing video games and on the computer than anything else. Children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend more than 40 hours per week watching television, on the computer or playing video games. Experts suggest that parents need to limit the amount of time that their children spend watching television and encourage more physical activities.

The Relationship between Television and Childhood Obesity

The greatest health risk facing today's children is not a disease or abuse. It is obesity. Obesity among children is at an epidemic level and needs to be of concern to anyone who has children. Childhood obesity has dramatically increased in the past decades. (Wilmore, 1994). Obesity is defined as an amount of excessive fat. (Lohman, 1987). Children tend to be obese more today than several years ago. There have been reports that suggest childhood obesity is linked to the watching of television, playing video games, being on the computer and the types of food that they consume while watching television. I plan to prove that these finding are true and that I agree with them.

Television is the medium with which children spend the most time. Children today spend approximately 40 or more hours per week in non physical activities. More than 25 percent watch 4 or more hours of television a day, about 65 percent watch two or more hours per day. Fifty percent of families have at least four of the newest media staples: TV, VCR, video gaming devices and a computer. A 21st century child has a multimedia environment in their bedroom. These activities are causing them to become overweight. They tend to watch television more than any other activity except sleeping (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005). Parents are using the television and other electronic devices as their babysitter or to get their children out of their way. These parents do not realize that they are contributing to the obesity of their children. It has been suggested that there should be a relationship between physicians and parents to deter children from watching more than 2 hours of television per day. Not all physicians encourage parents to limit the time that their children watch television. (Howe 2008).

The factors that are associated with obesity are genes, domestic environment, health, psychological influences, hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, lifestyle and eating habits but the environment is the worst. (Coates & Thirensen, 1978; Collipp, 1980; Rasmussen; 1976). Television has been linked to obesity and has caused children to be at risk for high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease and diabetes.

Children who spend an enormous