♠ Posted by Unknown in Weight Loss Tips at 3:46 ص
Television is America ’s most popular form of
entertainment. Every night, millions of
viewers tune in to catch an episode of their favorite law-and-order show, game
show, or sitcom. And America ’s love
affair with television shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Screens are getting bigger; reality shows are
proliferating; and television has quickly become the top source of information
for the average American.
But television also has its
downside. It has been linked to reading
problems in children, attention deficit disorder, and crime. It’s been called the ultimate time-waster—a
blinking box of little aesthetic or literary value. And now there’s research to suggest that
television may also cause weight gain in children.
A study conducted at Stanford University
a few years ago showed that children who reduced the amount of time they spent
watching television were leaner than those who did not curtail their viewing
time. Given the fact that obesity among
youngsters is on the increase, tube time is a significant public health
concern. It has been shown that children
who are overweight are at greater risk of suffering from heart disease and
hypertension. Therefore, anything that
promotes weight gain should be eliminated from children’s lives—and television
certainly falls into that category.
For most children, watching TV involves
more than just viewing cartoons. It
means playing video games, watching music videos, watching videotapes, and
general channel surfing. It has been
estimated that the average American watches as much as four hours of television
a day—a large amount, by any measurement.
Children’s dependence on television may be difficult to break, given the
fact that television is so much a part of the American culture.
There are other reasons why television
may promote obesity. Children’s
programming is filled with commercials touting sugary cereals and candy
bars. It has been shown that children
are heavily influenced by television advertising; therefore, they are far more
likely to indulge in sweets after watching television on a Saturday morning.
Since freedom of speech makes it difficult to ban commercials featuring
non-nutritious foods, it is up to parents to monitor their children’s
television viewing. Also, parents need
to steer clear of the sugary cereal aisle when going grocery shopping.
Another reason that television is linked
to obesity is because it promotes inactivity.
Many people watch television by lounging on a sofa, bed, or futon. They can burn few calories in a prone
position. Also, the fact that they’re
watching television means that they are not engaging in physical activities
such as exercise. Television promotes a
sedentary lifestyle that leads to additional weight gain.
But how can you effectively fight
television? Some families have actually
thrown out their TVs in the ultimate show of defiance. If you aren’t ready to take such a drastic
step, you might consider limiting your family’s viewing time to a single hour
each day. Another idea is to hold a “no
TV” night where you encourage your children to engage in sports, games, and
other activities. Forcing your children
to plan their viewing can be another effective step. That way, they won’t waste precious time
cruising through the TV channels.
It is true that television cannot
shoulder the entire blame for childhood obesity. However, medical research has now shown it is
a contributing factor. There are also
indications that excessive computer use can also contribute to weight
gain. In fact, this might be the major
health issue of the future, since so many children are doing their research on
line and typing their reports using computer keyboards.
As a parent, in order to ensure that your
children are a healthy weight, you have to be actively involved in their lives. Monitor not only what your children are
watching, but also what they are eating.
Encourage healthy snacks whenever possible, and discourage snacking
while watching television. Requiring
your children to eat at the dining room table rather than in front of the
television can also be an important step.
In the end, being involved in
your children’s weight reduction program is the key to ensuring that they lead
healthy lives.
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