Too Much TV may Increase Risk of Obesity, Depression in Children

It's a luxury and a curse to have so many technological advances, including television, video games, and the list goes on. For children spending an unhealthy amount of time in front of the tube, researchers have found that not only are they more likely to be obese, but they're also more likely to suffer from depression.

"Parents who read these studies should be heartened that they can make a difference in the health and well-being of their children," said Diane Gilbert-Diamond, an assistant professor of community and family medicine with the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth reported by Medical Xpress. She was not involved with either study. "They can reduce the amount of TV and other media that they allow their children to view, and encourage their children to engage in more active play."

For the first study, researchers monitored around 3,600 children from Europe between the ages of two and six. All of the participants were involved in a health research project for more than three years. This showed that children who watched more television were more likely to be unhealthy as well as suffer from emotional problems or overall family dysfunction.

For the second study, researchers examined 213 kids from the Northwest in the United States, all either five, seven or nine. Data collected from 1998 to 2012 showed that 22 percent of the children on average were overweight, while 19 percent were classified as obese. Researchers also discovered that if the children had maternal supervision on their screen time, they were more likely to be thinner.

Researchers believe that these findings hold important implications regarding the overuse of technology and its effects on both physical and emotional heatlh.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via JAMA Pediatrics.