Of course we know that childhood obesity is a problem. And children who are obese often have higher blood pressure.
But a new study shows a link between the amount of screen time a kid has and high blood pressure, no matter what size the child is.
We’ve known from previous studies that sedentary behaviors are linked to obesity, and that obesity is linked to high blood pressure, but this is the first time that we’ve linked those behaviors directly to elevated blood pressure.
The real worry here is that these kids only averaged 1.5 hours of TV a day, less than the two hours max that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. It’s all the other “sitting around” behavior that can lead to high blood pressure.
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by ECP Editors on October 8, 2008 · 1 comment
Kids are fatter than ever, watch more TV than ever before, and play and use their imagination increasingly less.
This does not bode well for them or our planet.
As Senegalese poet and naturalist Baba Dioum said,
We will protect only what we love, we will love only what we understand, we will understand only what we are taught.
If today’s children do not get outside to play in nature, with nature, they will have little reason or desire to protect the environment when they are adults.
Parents have the power to change this! Inspire play. Make active choices. Make TV the dessert of your child’s at home time, not the main dish.
Children will fight this (especially if they are use to spending the majority of the day in front of the TV).
Fight back!
Fight with patience. Fight with opportunity. Fight with love, knowing that what you are doing is for the good of your child and the planet.
TURN OFF THE TV!
[read the full article...]
Of course we know that childhood obesity is a problem. And children who are obese often have higher blood pressure.