Asthma in children linked to TV time
Wow, another argument to limit TV times for our kids. Prolonged TV times has been linked to childhood obesity, poor performance at school, sleep problems, and increased blood pressure. Now it’s also been linked to asthma and wheezing! A British study looked at more than 3000 children from birth up to their 11th birthday. Respiratory health of the children was monitored and the parents were interviewed regarding their children’s TV watching habits and observed symptoms of wheezing.
The results showed that children who spent more than two hours in front of the TV were almost twice as likely to have asthma as those who spent less time watching TV. The gender and the weight of the children didn’t make much of a difference.
It’s not the TV itself that causes the asthma, the researchers explain. It is the time spent in front of the TV that amounts to sedentary behavior. However, the link between physical activity, sedentary behavior and asthma is not that simple and generalizations are hard to make. However, evidence from previous studies suggested that sedentary behavior can induce breathing patterns that in turn trigger developmental changes in the lungs. Physically active children, for example, tend to inhale deeply and regularly, an action that stretches the airways, making them less prone to inflammation.
The study only looked at TV time but not at other sedentary activities such as playing video games or sitting in front of the computer. In addition, it should also be noted that time spent in front of the TV is time spent indoors. Being outdoors and breathing fresh air is another way of preventing respiratory problems in children.
But the message is clear enough. We’ve been wondering why the incidence of asthma has increased dramatically during the last 20 years. We don’t have to look any further than our living room to find out why.
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Zoe from Get Potty Trained says...
Wow, thanks for this very important piece of information. My son likes to watch a lot of kiddie shows but I try to warn him that it can strain his eyes. Now, all the more reason to lessen his TV time.
Jessdel says...
WOW!!! I knew TV watching for extended time was bad. Thanks for this information.