Telly addict youngsters snack their way to being beefier

Published on Thursday 26 February 2009 22:12

YOUNG children who watch a lot of television are much fatter than those who do not, according to a major study by Scottish researchers.

Experts at Aberdeen University's Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health have discovered that pre-school youngsters who spend just an hour extra in front of the TV each day are on average 1kg fatter.

But the researchers believe that inactivity is not to blame. They suspect that young telly addicts are putting on additional body fat because of snack foods or are being stimulated to eat by what they see on television.

Dr Diane Jackson, who led the research, said yesterday: "Some of the children who watched four hours of TV each day on average had 3kg more body fat than a child who watched one hour, and that is quite startling.

"It isn't weight they are putting on, but actual body fat."

The researchers measured the children's physical activity levels and how many calories they used. They concluded that physical activity or inactivity was not a factor. Dr Jackson said: "It wasn't about the amount of calories they were burning or not burning. So it must be down to diet.

"And there are a number of ways that could come about. There has been research which has shown that children who watch more TV tend to eat more snacky foods and sugared, sweetened drinks.

"It could also be that children are exposed to more adverts for more snacky foods and that might be affecting their own food intake."

The research was carried out as part of a three-year investigation of the predictors of body fat in pre-schoolers and involved 89 children aged two to six.

The findings are published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.