EATING WHILE WATCHING TELEVISION IS UNHEALTHY FOR CHILDREN

magazine article for the test...

EATING WHILE WATCHING TELEVISION IS UNHEALTHY FOR CHILDREN


Studies show that there is a link between the number of hours children spend watching television and weight problems. They also show that children who watch television while eating are likely to develop heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. One way to avoid these problems is to turn off the television during dinner.

Based on a survey conducted by Lynn Edmunds, a registered dietitian in the New York State Department of Health, children tend to not only tune out their natural hunger when watching television; they also tend to request the food products that are frequently advertised. Most of these products are those that are low in nutritional value. "Given that lifelong food preferences are established early in life, it is important for parents to foster mealtime environments that encourage healthful eating," Edmunds said.

In a Texas Medical Center News article, behavioral nutritionist Dr. Karen Cullen says, “Food commercial ads often suggest the use of food for purposes like fun or image, rather than to satisfy hunger or for health, and seldom show how the advertised food fits into a healthy diet.”

Families who watch television during dinnertime miss important opportunities to talk and bond. According to Dr. Barbara Dennison, one of the directors at the New York State Department of Health, “dinner is an opportunity for family interaction and conversation.” She adds that children take the lead of their parents in such a way that they would eat healthier food if their parents ate with them and engaged them in conversation.

Added to this, Dr. Cullen says that positive mealtime conversations can also build children’s self-esteem and foster positive relationships that help children and parents discuss and talk about serious issues when they arise. She emphasizes that it is very important for any particular activity to be beneficial to the physical and mental well-being of children.