Why television is bad

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Two-thirds of the 20, television ads a normal kid sees every year are for food, and most are for high-sugar foods. After-school television ads target youngsters with ads for unhealthy foods and beverages, such as fast food and sugary drinks. This evidence shows that kids who watch more TV are more likely to be overweight. For instance, the early years of a youngster are important to their development. Pediatricians are firmly against programing modified specifically for young children, particularly when it is utilized to market toys, games, dolls, unhealthy foods and other items to babies.

Furthermore, television will discourage and replace reading. Kids from families that have the TV on a lot invest less time reading and being read to and are less likely to be able to read. Liquor ads on TV have really expanded throughout the most recent few years and more underage children are presented them than any other time in history. A recent study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth found that adolescent presentation to liquor ads on TV expanded by 30 percent from to When these things seem acceptable, kids and teens might be tempted to try them.

That might lead to substance abuse problems, and studies show that teens who watch lots of sexual content are more likely to start sexual activity earlier. Health experts have long linked too much screen time to obesity. When they're staring at screens, kids are inactive and tend to snack.

They're also bombarded with ads that encourage them to eat unhealthy foods like potato chips and drink empty-calorie soft drinks that often become favorite snack foods. Studies show that decreasing the amount of TV kids watched led to less weight gain and lower body mass index BMI. Replacing video game time with outdoor game time is another good way to help kids maintain a healthy weight.

Even older kids may need to be reminded of the purpose of advertising. Video games are especially full of pop-up ads with pressure to buy. You can turn off the TV or at least limit kids' watching time, but it's nearly impossible to remove all exposure to marketing messages. When your kids ask for the latest must-haves, explain that ads are designed to make people want things they probably don't need and believe the products will somehow make them happier. By setting healthy limits on screen time and knowing what your child is watching and playing, you can help make the most of your child's media use.

Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD and Melanie L. Pitone, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. But too much screen time can be a bad thing: Children who often spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV or using media are more likely to be overweight.