SubscribeTV Harms Children?
A review of over 35 scientific studies has identified that TV-watching may be responsible for 15 negative health effects. The health problems range from short-sightedness and obesity to premature puberty and autism.
Also, viewing television may be a bigger factor in causing obesity than diet or exercise. The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease increases with each extra daily hour of television viewing among people aged 20 to 60. (from news.com.au)
What? Viewing television a bigger factor than diet or exercise? Unfortunately the research paper is not yet available (on Biologist) - so it's difficult to determine what is meant by this statement.
The article also mentions that TV suppresses the production of the hormone melatonin - which may be involved in ever-decreasing age of onset of puberty.
Reduction in TV watching goes hand in hand with an overall lifestyle change. But then what about computers? And how does TV content factor in here?
These causal versus correlation arguments do my head in.
I came across that one too. I'm no scientist but part of the research indicated that if you were stuck inside this affected melatonin production and induced early onset puberty, obescity and type II diabetes amongst other horrors. There were also other issues such as autism [which is why I was interested ] and cancer.
ReplyAll I can say is that my boys didn't become autistic because of the telly, because we didn't have a television.
Cheeers
I have to agree with your comment about the causal vs. correlation arguments. It seems that a lot of this could be explained not by what kids are doing (i.e., watching TV), but by what they're not doing because they're watching TV (e.g., playing outside).
I'm not sure, but some of this almost sounds to me like one of those cases of studying the obvious.
Like you, I'll wait for the report to see how much of this makes sense in a statistical way.
ReplyI tend to believe that it's not just TV, but computers and video games that are a lot more responsible. Computers and video games lead to sedentary lifestyles and I'm sure can cause health problems.
ReplyI believe that children should not watch over 1 1/2 hours of television a day. They should be outside playing and having fun. And doing more phyical things. Staying inside all day staring at a t.v for one is hard on their eyes and for two is it will make kids and adults gain wait by being a couch potato.
Replythanks
Replyi like tv but i play lots of sport.
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