Kids, TV a weighty blend of trouble

Increasing numbers of kids are overweight and at risk for serious health conditions.

By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. March 22/29, 2004.

Washington -- Couch potatoes get their start as tiny spuds, said researchers examining the role of television, videos and computer games in the rise in childhood obesity -- a role that is likely more complex than previously thought.

Young children sitting transfixed by the TV or computer for many hours each day are not only substituting a passive activity for more vigorous calorie-burning physical movement but are also being exposed to thousands of hours of food ads.

The recent surge in childhood obesity has been mirrored by an explosion in media targeted to children: shows and videos, specialized cable networks, video games, computer activities and Internet Web sites, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation report, "The Role of the Media in Childhood Obesity."

Today, about 10% of 2- to 5-year-olds and 15% of 6- to 10-year-olds are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the medical complications common in overweight children include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems and depression.

The U.S. surgeon general has identified the high incidence of obesity among young people as the greatest threat faced by public health today, an alarming statement that prompted the foundation to produce its report.

"While media is only one of many factors that appear to be affecting childhood obesity, it's an important piece of the puzzle," said Vicky Rideout, vice president and director of the KFF's Program for the Study of Entertainment Media and Health.