Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Friday, July 03, 2009

More than Two Hours of TV Per Day Linked to Fitness Declines Among Children

A new study from Australia recommends that children watch no more than two hours of television a day. ore than that amount leads to a decline in physical fitness, according to research from the University of Sydney.
  • Dr. Louise Hardy had 2,750 children ages 11 to 15 years old undergo physical fitness tests.
  • Dr. Hardy and her team also surveyed the children about how often they played computer games and watched television.
  • Almost 10 percent of the children spent more than six hours a day engaged in "small screen" time.
  • The children who spent more than two hours a day watching television were less likely to pass the physical fitness tests.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children watch no more than two hours a day -- a recommendation that Dr. Hardy said is supported by her team's research.

"As it turned out, the experts were fairly spot-on," Dr. Hardy said. "The two hours [limit] is a good benchmark.

Labels: television, screen_time, exercise

Posted By: Aspen/CRC