OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between hours of TV viewing and the trajectory of BMI growth from Kindergarten to Grade 5 among a national longitudinal cohort of 7,334 US children. METHODS: Multilevel growth curve modeling was used to estimate children's BMI growth trajectories as a function of hours of TV viewing over time while controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, SES, birth weight, and baseline age. RESULTS: Hours of TV viewing were significantly positively associated with the acceleration of BMI growth from Kindergarten to Grade 5. CONCLUSIONS: Hours spent watching TV may be contributing to the recent dramatic increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Frederick W. Danner (2008) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:
More from Journal of Pediatric Psychology