TV riskier than computer for kids' health
Researchers at Canada’s Queen’s University have found that watching TV lead to higher cardiovascular risk in children than working with a computer.
According to the findings published in the journal BMC Public Health, children who watch a lot of TV have a higher risk of cardio-metabolic problems compared to those who use computer instead.
“Even if a child is physically active, this activity is really only making up a short period of their whole day, so it’s important to look at other aspects of their day to see what’s going on. Part of that is the kind of sedentary behaviors they engage in,” said study author Valerie Carson.
The new study showed it is the type of the sedentary habit that leads to more health risks in children.
Previous studies had identified high volumes of sedentary behavior as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in adults while the new survey didn’t show such an association between the volume of sedentary behavior and diabetes or coronary heart disease.
New findings suggest that some types of sedentary activities have a greater impact on children’s health. Watching too much TV, for instance, was linked to higher cardio-metabolic risk, whereas high computer use did not, Carson noted.
One possible explanation is that kids spend less energy while watching TV than when they work with a computer. In addition, TV time is usually accompanied with other unhealthy habits such unmindful snacking.
“The take home message is that we want children to be more physically active, but then, at the same time, we need to think about what they’re doing the rest of the time,” Carson suggested. “Our study suggests we should also limit children’s television viewing time.”
Source: presstv.ir
