|Credit: TV time photo via Shutterstock|
Kids who watch television are less likely to eat fruits and vegetables daily, and more likely to eat junk food, according to a new study.
TV-watching was also linked with a greater chance of skipping
|Credit: TV time photo via Shutterstock|
Kids who watch television are less likely to eat fruits and vegetables daily, and more likely to eat junk food, according to a new study.
TV-watching was also linked with a greater chance of skipping breakfast, and eating fast food at least one day a week, even after the researchers adjusted for other factors linked with unhealthy eating habits, such as income levels, computer use and physical activity.
One of the key findings was that "TV-watching is associated with unhealthier eating patterns, even when you control for eating while watching TV," said study researcher Ronald Iannotti, of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
In other words, watching television affects what kids eat, well beyond the time they are actually parked in front of the tube.
Television-watching among children has previously been linked with eating more junk food and less fruits and vegetables, but the new study is the first national, large sample of teens in the U.S. The results are consistent with previous smaller studies, said Stuart Biddle, executive director of the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity & Health, who was not involved with the study.
TV and eating habits among students
Not eating enough healthy, nutritious foods, and instead consuming sugary and high-salt foods raises the risk of obesity and chronic disease later in life.
The new study included 12,642 students from across the country in fifth through tenth grades, taking part in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Study, which is conducted every four years. Eating habits varied along age, gender and racial lines. According to the study, younger students were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables than older students, girls were more likely to eat them than boys, and white students were more likely to eat them compared with black and Hispanic students.
Fast-food consumption was more frequent among nonwhite students and older students, bu