HHS HealthBeat (March 31, 2008)

Screen time

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

The television might keep the kids quiet, but it could silently be elevating blood pressure in obese children.

A study finds the more time obese kids spend in front of the TV, the more likely they are to have high blood pressure.

Lead researcher Jeffrey Schwimmer of the University of California, San Diego looked at over 500 children ages 4 through 17 who were seeking treatment for obesity.

Schwimmer notes:

"Television time, or screen time in fact, that includes other things like computers or video games, should be something where we pay attention to moderation."  (9 seconds)

So how much time is too much? The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limiting television time to less than two hours a day.

The study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

Last revised: March, 28 2008