Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for healthy living

Connect with an expert

Nutrition-wise blog

With Mayo Clinic nutritionists Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

Back to posting index

May 15, 2008 12:43 p.m.

Limit screen time to combat childhood obesity

5 comments posted

Read comments | Post a comment

By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

You might wonder, why would a dietitian be writing about screen time — the time spent in front of a television or computer. Shouldn't she be more interested in what is happening in the kitchen?

There's a strong link between excessive screen time and childhood obesity. An obvious association is the couch potato syndrome — simple inactivity. One that may be less obvious is how that time shapes children's food preferences and what ends up in your home. Or as children are given more independence, what food purchases they will make on their own.

Billions of marketing dollars are aimed at children, a significant portion through television advertisements but even more through other means of marketing in schools, packaging, video games and such. That money is well spent on the food industry's part as children influence the family's food budget. More importantly, exposing children early on, as early as ages 1-4, will impact preferences and choices when they are older.

Sit with a child while they are watching television or are on the Web and pay special attention to what images of food and beverages they are exposed to. Due to the public awareness of the obesity crisis, you may see that there have been changes in the marketing of some programs and advertisements — encouraging physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption.

What are your thoughts? Does the food industry have a responsibility for the type and/or amount of advertising children are exposed to? Does it fall exclusively on parents to limit screen time and control the family food choices?

To your health,

Katherine

Add to del.icio.us

Digg This

Add to Technorati

Stumble It!

5 comments posted

Read comments | Post a comment

Back to posting index

July 13, 2008 1:29 p.m.

Our children play!!! and usually outside! We have been months at a time without watching TV. Not an active choice to avoid the TV just have better things to do Healthy Foods

- Laura

May 26, 2008 5:58 a.m.

I think the food industry does have a responsibility when it comes to the messages and advertising that is pushed at children. After all doesn't every corporation have a social responsibility to run their business, look after their employees and conduct their business in a reputable manner? It should be the same for the influences they have within society. With the obesity epademic and huge increase in lifestyle related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes due to obesity... isn't selling sugar and fat filled food directly to children the same as selling cigarettes or alcohol to children? Perhaps such companies should combine messages to counter some of the negative. ie. Encourage children to be active along with promotion of their foods. OR encourage them to enjoy high fat foods as a treat - not part of everyday routines (like school lunches). Now having said that I still believe that parents hold the biggest responsibilty to teach children about healthy nutrition and healthy lifestyle behaviours - like playing outside and not haivng too much screen time.

- Amanda

May 21, 2008 8:24 a.m.

I feel very blessed that my two sons - ages 5 and 3 are able to play outside from the time they get home (2:00 for the younger and after school for the older)until supper and then bed. Although living in a rural area limits some opportunites for entertainment and such, it offers other opportunites for kids that can be non-existant in an urban setting - such as playing outside whenever they want. I am a stickler for the amount of t.v. time my kids get. They are to the point, especially with the warmer weather, that they choose to go outside and play above anything else - including watching t.v. Finally reaching this point has not been easy, though. A daycare we went to a few years ago, although run by a wonderful and caring womean, had the t.v. on all the time. We noticed definite changes in personality, attention span and abilities after a few hours at the day care. Also, all my son ever wanted to do was watch movies and cartoons - and would do nothing else while the t.v. was on (blank stare at the screen). I encouage all parents to take an active role in the amount of screen time, and just turn the t.v. off. I have heard people say they just have it on as background noise. Kids don't need background noise. They will be happier and healthier in the long run if the t.v. is off and they are left to explore the world with their own imaginations.

- Marie

May 19, 2008 8:13 p.m.

As both a 'graduate' mother and a grandmother, as well as a retired Head Start teacher, I have strong concerns about screen time. As wise grad school professor I had used to say, it's not so much what the child watches, although that's important, but also what they're NOT doing during that time. They are NOT in touch with their bodies, they are NOT active, they are NOT generating true physical hunger through healthy activity, but they are often eating junk food they've seen advertised. They are also often - if they stray much beyond PBS - acquiring a very warped perception of the world, especially of the dangers of the world outside their doors. Parents (especially urban parents), too, often see the out of doors as a dangerous place and thus put their child in front of the screen where they are subject to another whole set of dangers. One can wax nostalgic about the days when children went outside right after school and stayed there till suppertime. In many families, this is not possible for a whole variety of reasons. It takes more time, energy, and commitment on the part of parents to see that children get 'play time' - real, unorganized, fun, get dirty and tired play time. But, it can still be done and it's up to all of us to help provide that time and the environment in which it can happen safely.

- Gramma Louise

May 16, 2008 9:10 a.m.

Bottom line (or to help the bottom line), kids needs to be "DO"ing. Pink ribbons identify the fight against breast cancer. Yellow bracelets symbolize cancer research fundraising. Fighting childhood obesity now has its own unique symbol for awareness and fundraising, the Do Tag. Monkee Do's cute monkee sends the right message of "DO"ing to kids and adults. It also establishes an identifiable symbol for childhood obesity fundraising and awareness. Each Do Tag purchase supports a variety of childhood obesity foundations and methods that fight this growing epidemic. Put the Do Tag on any laced shoe and show your support. To see the childhood obesity foundations participating in this unique project, please visit www.TheDoTag.com Small enough to fit on any size shoe, but big enough to make a difference in fighting childhood obesity.

- Scott Shaffer