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Children's food consumption during television viewing
Donna M Matheson1, Joel D Killen, Yun Wang
1Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School Of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5705, USA. matheson@stanford.edu
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|May 26, 2004
Summary
Children consume significant energy while watching television, especially on weekends. High-fat food intake during TV time may impact children's body mass index (BMI), particularly in younger age groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Obesity Research
- Media and Health
Background:
- Television viewing is a known risk factor for childhood obesity.
- Eating during TV time and consuming advertised foods are hypothesized mechanisms.
- Understanding dietary patterns during television exposure is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify food and energy intake during television viewing in children.
- To compare food types consumed during versus outside of television viewing.
- To investigate the association between television-related eating and children's body mass index (BMI).
Main Methods:
- Utilized three 24-hour dietary recalls from two distinct child samples (third and fifth graders).
- Collected data on food consumption and television viewing habits for each eating episode.
- Measured height and weight to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI).
Main Results:
- 17-26% of daily energy intake occurred during television viewing.
- Less soda, fast food, fruits, and vegetables were consumed while watching TV.
- Food intake during TV viewing was not linked to BMI, but higher fat intake during TV was associated with BMI in third graders.
Conclusions:
- A substantial portion of children's daily energy is consumed during television viewing.
- Weekend consumption of high-fat foods during television viewing may be linked to BMI in younger children.
- Dietary habits during television exposure warrant further investigation for obesity prevention strategies.