According to new study findings from researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto, cutting the amount of time spent in front of the TV doesn't help kids lose weight.
To investigate, researchers reviewed 13 large studies involving more than 3,000 children.
The studies included interventions to reduce TV viewing that lasted anywhere from one to 24 months. Overall, researchers found that the studies tested were unable to help the children lose weight.
However, the study did find that some interventions succeeded with very young children, such as when preschool-aged children had their screen time cut by nearly four hours per week on average.
Researchers are calling for more research on the topic and say obesity is a complex problem that likely can't be resolved by one particular intervention, such as time spent in front of a TV.
Previous studies have found a link between screen time and obesity - one study, published in The Lancet, found that children who watch more than two hours of television a night seem to be at higher risk of being overweight or being out of shape and having high cholesterol as adults.
Another study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found children who watched two to fur hours of TV a day had 2.5 times the odds of hypertension compared with children watching less than two hours per day.
The latest study was published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
To investigate, researchers reviewed 13 large studies involving more than 3,000 children.
The studies included interventions to reduce TV viewing that lasted anywhere from one to 24 months. Overall, researchers found that the studies tested were unable to help the children lose weight.
However, the study did find that some interventions succeeded with very young children, such as when preschool-aged children had their screen time cut by nearly four hours per week on average.
Researchers are calling for more research on the topic and say obesity is a complex problem that likely can't be resolved by one particular intervention, such as time spent in front of a TV.
Previous studies have found a link between screen time and obesity - one study, published in The Lancet, found that children who watch more than two hours of television a night seem to be at higher risk of being overweight or being out of shape and having high cholesterol as adults.
Another study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found children who watched two to fur hours of TV a day had 2.5 times the odds of hypertension compared with children watching less than two hours per day.
The latest study was published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
All research on this web site is the property of Leslie Beck Nutrition Consulting Inc. and is protected by copyright. Keep in mind that research on these matters continues daily and is subject to change. The information presented is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. It is intended to provide ongoing support of your healthy lifestyle practices.