Watching TV as a child linked to adult health problems

People who watched a lot of television as children often have health problems in adulthood, such as high blood pressure and obesity, according to a 50-year study published in the online journal Pediatrics.

Beginning in the early 1970s, researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand asked parents of over 800 children to record how much television the children watched at ages 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15. The average viewing time was two hours per weekday. Participants were followed until the age of 45.

“Those who watched the most had a higher risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood,” Professor Bob Hancox of the school’s Department of Preventive and Social Medicine said in a statement. Press release.

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat and abnormal cholesterol levels that lead to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, according to the press release.

The finding held true even when a family’s gender, childhood body mass index and economic status were taken into account, according to the study. Boys watched more television than girls, and metabolic syndrome problems were more often found in men than in women.

Research hasn’t proven that watching TV actually causes these health problems in adulthood, but the authors said the two may be linked because children who watch TV may have less physical activity and may have poor eating habits because they see junk food advertisements.

The results are valid despite a much higher number of screens available today.

“The alarming thing about this is what do we see happening now compared to 45 years ago?” Colleen Kraft, MD, a pediatrician and professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, said US News and World Report. “Kids on phones, on tablets, on computers, on screens for much of the day who really aren’t active. So we face an avalanche of health issues if we don’t focus on kids and give them the opportunity to be active.