KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Watching television, including movies and video games, takes time away from the physical activity that children need every day to be healthy and happy. This month, Public Health - Seattle & King County and the King County Overweight Prevention Initiative are launching the “Live outside the box” educational campaign, informing families about the risks of too much television on the health and well-being of children. National TV Turnoff Week for 2006 is April 24-30.
“The more time a child spends watching television, the greater the chance he or she has of being overweight or obese,” said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County. “Instead of watching television, children and families can enjoy spending time together in creative activities such as playing, riding bikes and reading.”
Most kids in the United States watch 20 to 30 hours of television every week, or about 3 to 4 hours a day, representing more time in front of a television than in school. Also, according to research, children eat less healthy meals when eating in front of the television.
Children age two and under should not watch any television, and older children should keep television time, including movies and video games, to less than two hours a day of non-violent programming, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children who are physically active are less likely to be overweight, are sick less often, do better in school, sleep better, and are less likely to feel sad, depressed or stressed. Adults experience many of these same benefits.
The “Live outside the box” educational campaign includes radio PSAs, a series of posters, and a toolkit in English and Spanish. To view and download “Live outside the box” materials, visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/reducetv.
The “Live outside the box” toolkit will be distributed throughout King County, including community and public health centers, health care providers and child care centers. The colorful toolkit includes:
- Facts about television and health
- A tool to assess how much television families are really watching
- A “Live outside the box” challenge to go “No TV for a week!”
- Alternatives to watching television, including 25 indoor activities, 25 outdoor activities, and fun, easy recipes for families
- Strategies to help reduce the amount of television that is watched at home
The King County Overweight Prevention Initiative is sponsored by the King County Board of Health, the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, the University of Washington Exploratory Center for Obesity Research, and Public Health - Seattle & King County.
The Initiative has a ten-point action plan that includes carrying out a community-wide campaign to promote active living and healthy eating. For more information on the King County Overweight Prevention Initiative, visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/overweight
Public Health – Seattle & King County is among the largest metropolitan health departments in the country, providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services that achieve and sustain safer and healthier communities for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County . Answering the needs of an increasingly diverse population, Public Health - Seattle & King County touches people's lives every day through health promotion and prevention activities, disease surveillance, health care, outreach and referral services, environmental health services, emergency medical care, jail health services, and readiness and response to public health emergencies.
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