The Association between Television Viewing and Preschool Child Body Mass Index

This paper is a conceptual and methodological review of the literature on the impact of TV on preschoolers' weight status. A systematic search, of papers published between January 1995 and January 2010, identified twenty-six relevant studies. Fifteen of these were cross-sectional in design and eleven adopted a prospective design; a positive association between hours of TV and child adiposity was found in all but three studies. Although assessed in a limited number of studies, diet may mediate the relationship between TV viewing and BMI. Another likely mediator may be the content of TV programs watched; only three studies examined this association and findings were inconsistent. Our review revealed that research examining mediating effects is limited, focusing more on simple cross-sectional or prospective relationships between TV habits and child body mass index. Further investigation of the mechanisms by which TV viewing affects preschool weight gain is needed

Body mass index · Developmental psychology · Obesity · Screen time · Child Development and Digital Technology · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology

• Screen Media, Parenting Practices, and the Family Environment in Australia

  Leonie Rutherford, Judith E Brown et al.•Journal of Children and Media•2015

  Incluir item

• A Humanistic Approach to Understanding Child Consumer Socialization in US Homes

  Lucy Atkinson, Michelle R Nelson et al.•Journal of Children and Media•2015

  Incluir item

• An umbrella review of the benefits and risks associated with youths’ interactions with electronic screens

  Open Access•Taren Sanders, Michael Noetel et al.•Nature Human Behaviour•2023

  Incluir item

• The associations between TV viewing, food intake, and BMI. A prospective analysis of data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

  Open Access•Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Helen Skouteris et al.•Appetite•2012

  Incluir item

• Prevalence of High Body Mass Index in US Children and Adolescents, 2007-2008

  Cynthia L Ogden•JAMA•2010

  Incluir item

• The 30-Second Effect

  Open Access•Dina L G Borzekowski, Thomas N Robinson•Journal of the American Dietetic…•2001

  Incluir item

• A National Study of Neighborhood Safety, Outdoor Play, Television Viewing, and Obesity in Preschool Children

  Hillary L Burdette, Robert C Whitaker•PEDIATRICS•2005

  Incluir item

• Development of Eating Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents

  Leann L Birch, Jennifer O Fisher•PEDIATRICS•1998

  Incluir item

• Television Viewing and Television in Bedroom Associated With Overweight Risk Among Low-Income Preschool Children

  Barbara A Dennison, Tara Erb et al.•PEDIATRICS•2002

  Incluir item

• Does parenting affect children's eating and weight status?

  Open Access•Alison K Ventura, Leann L Birch•International Journal of…•2008

  Incluir item

• A Systematic Review of the Validity of Dietary Assessment Methods in Children when Compared with the Method of Doubly Labeled Water

  Open Access•Tracy L Burrows, Rebecca J Martin et al.•Journal of the American Dietetic…•2010

  Incluir item

• BMI from 3–6 y of age is predicted by TV viewing and physical activity, not diet

  Open Access•Russell Jago, Tom Baranowski et al.•International Journal of Obesity•2005

  Incluir item

• Digital Childhood

  Elizabeth A Vandewater, Victoria J Rideout et al.•PEDIATRICS•2007

  Incluir item

• Obesity in children and young people

  Open Access•Tim Lobstein, L A Baur et al.•Obesity Reviews•2004

  Incluir item

• Association between child and adolescent television viewing and adult health

  Open Access•Robert J Hancox, B Milne et al.•The Lancet•2004

  Incluir item

• Risk Factors for Overweight in Five- to Six-Year-Old Hispanic-American Children

  Adolfo J Ariza•Journal of Urban Health•2004

  Incluir item

• Food advertising on Australian television

  Open Access•Leonie Neville, Margaret Thomas et al.•Health Promotion International•2005

  Incluir item

• How much food advertising is there on Australian television?

  Open Access•Kathy Chapman•Health Promotion International•2006

  Incluir item

• Television Viewing Habits and Time Use in Australian Preschool Children

  Helen Skouteris, Katherine McHardy•Journal of Children and Media•2009

  Incluir item

• Social factors and television use during meals and snacks is associated with higher BMI among pre-school children

  Open Access•Lise Dubois, Anna Farmer et al.•Public Health Nutrition•2008

  Incluir item

• Associations of Television Content Type and Obesity in Children

  Open Access•Frederick J Zimmerman, Janice F Bell•American Journal of Public Health•2010

  Incluir item

• How young children spend their time

  Aletha C Huston, John C Wright et al.•Developmental Psychology•1999

  Incluir item

• Children, Media, and Methodology

  Open Access•Daren R Anderson, Daniel R Anderson et al.•American Behavioral Scientist•2009

  Incluir item

• Young Children and Media

  Open Access•Dimitri Christakis, Dimitri A Christakis et al.•American Behavioral Scientist•2009

  Incluir item

• The effects of television advertisements for junk food versus nutritious food on children's food attitudes and preferences

  Open Access•Hannah Dixon, Helen G Dixon et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2007

  Incluir item

• Measuring Children's Media Use in the Digital Age

  Open Access•Elizabeth A Vandewater, Sook-Jung Lee•American Behavioral Scientist•2009

  Incluir item