Monday, December 17, 2012

Parents might want to rethink that TV for Christmas

By Bryan Navarro - email

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -

If your son or daughter is asking for a television this holiday season, parents might want to think twice before saying yes. 

A new study shows a strong link between children having a TV in their bedroom and obesity. 

There is new evidence to help keep children out of the hospital; it's keeping the TV out of their bedroom.

New research from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine links children having a TV in their bedroom to higher levels of obesity; it also says they tend to watch more TV compounding the issues that can come up. 

When comparing a TV in the bedroom to a TV in a family room, even on an hour-by-hour basis, watching in the bedroom is linked to more belly fat and a greater risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

Having the TV inside the bedroom can also disrupt sleeping patterns, affecting performance in school too.

There may be many sad faces this holiday season, if parents follow through with the study's advice and don't purchase a TV for their children's bedroom. 

However the study also finds that it is probably too late, 70 percent of kids between 8 and 18 already have a TV in their room.

Copyright 2012 Tucson News Now All rights reserved.

http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/20324583/parents-might-want-to-rethink-that-tv-for-christmas

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