Frequent TV viewing causes hypertension in kids

2 November, 2007

Yet another risk of watching too much television has been revealed. Children who watch television for long hours are not only at risk of obesity but also have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure.

Researchers in the United States, who examined over 500 children, found that the amount of time spent watching television was connected to the severity of obesity as well as the presence of high blood pressure.

It may be noted that, a report by the British government’s Foresight had estimated earlier in October 2007 that if current levels continued, then a quarter of children will be obese by 2050.

Obesity is blamed for an increased risk of Type II diabetes, certain types of cancer and cardiovascular problems, including hypertension (high blood pressure).

For the latest study, researchers in the United States analysed data from 546 children aged 4-17. The data included blood pressure, weight, height and amount of time spent watching television.

The study – conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Diego; the Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of South Alabama – has been published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

According to the researchers, both the severity of obesity and daily television-watching time are significant and also independent predictors of the presence of high blood pressure.

Children who watched television between 2 hours and 4 hours a day had a 2.5 times increased risk of high blood pressure compared to those watching less than 2 hours a day.

Experts the world over have already expressed fears that children who spend too much time watching television are not only physically inactive but also exposed to TV commercials selling high-fat foods and other junk foods.

However, Dr Stuart Biddle, from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, the United Kingdom, wrote in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that the causes of childhood obesity were more complex than simply watching too much television. He explained, “Obesity levels are increasing, but TV viewing figures are not; obesity increases during adolescence at the same time that TV viewing decreases; and boys watch more TV than girls but show less obesity and greater physical activity.”

Obesity in children is a major health concern in the United States. In 2004, the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) had estimated that 17% of children and adolescents were obese.