Letting your kids watch too much TV could affect their health as an adult.
According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children in the U.S are obese, largely as a result of poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. Meanwhile, children aged 8 to 18 are watching 4.5 hours of TV every single day, on average.
Now, new research suggests that excessive screen time during childhood can have long-term impacts on a person’s metabolic and cardiovascular health.
The study was published in the journal Pediatrics on July 24.
Watching too much TV as a child has been associated with poor metabolic health into adulthood, irrespective of healthy adult habits. ipekata/Getty
Since the 1970s, researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand have followed the health and TV habits of roughly 1,000 people. The cohort, now in their 40s and 50s, were newborns at the start of the study and were consistently monitored throughout their childhood and teenage years to record their television habits.
At the age of 45, the remaining 997 participants were tested for health markers indicative of poor metabolic health. These include poor blood sugar regulation, high waist circumference, high blood pressure, and high levels of
Scientists Reveal Link Between Kids’ TV Time and Their Adult Health
