Many reasons account for increasing numbers of overweight people: too much fast food, huge portion sizes of foods and beverages, high frequency of eating out and reduced amounts of physical activity. One of the greatest barriers to physical activity is the time we spend in front of a screen —TV, computer or video game.

According to Nielsen Media Research, families have the TV on an average of seven hours and 40 minutes per day. Americans watch an average of more than four hours of TV per day. Even more disturbing is the fact that American children spend an average of 1,023 hours watching TV but only 900 hours per year in school.

Watching hours of TV contributes to a sedentary lifestyle. It also exposes children to numerous ads for products that are poor nutritional choices. Your child may be viewing 9,500 messages each year for candy, fast food, soft drinks and sugar-sweetened cereals. Currently, an astounding $15 billion per year is spent on marketing directly to children who, in turn, influence their parents to purchase the desired items. It’s possible to alleviate the negative influence ads can have on children’s diets. Interestingly, studies show that children who eat dinner together with their families, without the TV, are more likely to consume the recommended number of servings of fruits, vegetables and milk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests no television or video viewing for children under the age of two. For children over age two, the recommendation is no more than two hours per day.

Simple Solutions to Reduce TV Time

• Get the TV out of the bedroom.
• Set clear limits and establish family rules for TV viewing.
• As the adult, model restraint in TV viewing.
• Plan fun activities such as a walk after dinner or family game night.
• Plan TV time to avoid “channel surfing.” Turn on the TV only when there is a specific show your family planned to watch. Turn off the TV when the show is over.
• Turn off the TV during mealtimes. Meals should be a time for pleasant, uninterrupted family interaction.

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