Watching TV will make adolescent children obese and overweight

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Watching TV too much not only affects eyesight but also makes adolescent children obese and overweight.
According to a research study conducted by the city-based National Institute of Nutrition, school children, particularly in the age group 12-17, who spend more than five hours a day watching television are seven times more susceptible to obesity and overweight than those who watch TV for less than three hours.
The explanation offered is quite simple. Spending more time in front of television means less physical work and hence overweight and obesity. The study revealed that the prevalence of adolescent overweight and obesity among urban adolescent school children in Hyderabad was higher than in their rural counterparts by 0.6 per cent.
The prevalence was more among the children of upper middle and high socio-economic groups compared to the children of low and low middle socio-economic groups. Obesity was found to be relatively less among children participating in physical exercises like games and sports and higher among the children with no physical exercise or who were watching TV for long hours.
The report points out the problem was also higher among children who consumed fatty and fried foods and also among those frequently consuming snacks and ice creams.
The NIN selected 23 schools catering to low, middle and upper middle income groups adopting the stratified random sampling procedure. Anthropometric measurements like height (cms) and weight (kgs) were taken on 1,208 adolescent school children using standard procedures. Information on socio-economic and demographic particulars, their perceptions and practices on diet, lifestyle patterns, physical activities and frequency of consumption of foods was assessed using pre-tested
questionnaires.
The scientists carried out stepwise logistic regression analysis which revealed that in general, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was
6.2 per cent. Girls are a little bit obese (6.3 per cent) as compared with boys (6.1 per cent). The prevalence was significantly higher by 0.001 per cent among children studying in private and private aided institutions (eight and nine per cent) as compared to those studying in the government institutions (2.4 per cent). The figures for children with different economic backgrounds are upper middle (6.7 per cent), high socio-economic status (13.1 per cent) and the low and low middle socio-economic status (1.7 to 2.5 per cent).
It was significantly lower in the children who were reportedly participating in the household activities for more than three hours a day. On the other hand, obesity was significantly higher by 0.007 per cent among children (9.3 per cent), who are watching TV for more than three hours a day as compared to the children (5 per cent), who are watching T for less than three hours a day.
Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was seven times higher among the children, who were watching TV for more than five hours a day, compared to the children with less than five hours a day.
The incidence is 4.4 times higher in the children who belong to upper middle and high socio-economic status compared to the children of low and low middle SES and 3.9 times higher in the children who were studying in public schools compared to those in government schools. Participation in household activities for more than three hours a day had some protective effect from overweight and obesity.