Teens With Bedroom TVs Have Poorer Diets, Are Less Active

Adolescents who had televisions in their bedrooms had less physical activity, poorer dietary habits, and worse school performance than did adolescents without bedroom televisions, investigators from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, reported.

Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, Ph.D., and colleagues found that nearly two-thirds of adolescents aged 15–18 years had a television (TV) in their bedrooms, despite the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against this.

A total of 781 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse teens participated in Project Eating Among Teens (EAT), answering questions about their TV viewing, dietary and exercise habits, and school performance.

Analysis of the data revealed that factors associated with the presence of a bedroom TV included gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The prevalence of a TV in the bedroom among boys was 68%, compared with 58% among girls, and was highest among black youths at 82%, and lowest among Asians at 39%.

Among those from households with highest socioeconomic status, the prevalence was 39%, compared with 61% among those from households with low socioeconomic status (Pediatrics 2008;121:718–24).

Girls with bedroom TVs spent less time in vigorous activity (4.2 hours/week vs. 5.2 hours/week, spent more time watching TV (20.7 hours/week vs. 15.2 hours/week), and had lower vegetable intake (1.7 servings/day vs. 2 servings/day) and higher sweetened beverage consumption (1.2 servings/day vs. 1 serving/day) than did girls without bedroom TVs. They also participated in fewer family meals (2.9/week vs. 3.7/week).

Boys with bedroom TVs spent more time overall watching TV (22.2 hours/week vs. 18.2 hours/week), had lower fruit intake (1.7 servings/day vs. 2.2 servings/day), and participated in fewer family meals than did those without TVs (2.9/week vs. 3.6/week). They also had lower grade point averages (2.6 compared to 2.9). These differences were all statistically significant.

The investigators suggested that “refraining from placing a TV in adolescents' bedrooms may be a first step in helping to decrease screen time and subsequent poor behaviors associated with increased TV watching.”

Girls with bedroom TVs spent less time in vigorous activity and ate fewer vegetables. ©amaxim/Fotolia.com

Adolescents who had televisions in their bedrooms had less physical activity, poorer dietary habits, and worse school performance than did adolescents without bedroom televisions, investigators from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, reported.

Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, Ph.D., and colleagues found that nearly two-thirds of adolescents aged 15–18 years had a television (TV) in their bedrooms, despite the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against this.

A total of 781 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse teens participated in Project Eating Among Teens (EAT), answering questions about their TV viewing, dietary and exercise habits, and school performance.

Analysis of the data revealed that factors associated with the presence of a bedroom TV included gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The prevalence of a TV in the bedroom among boys was 68%, compared with 58% among girls, and was highest among black youths at 82%, and lowest among Asians at 39%.

Among those from households with highest socioeconomic status, the prevalence was 39%, compared with 61% among those from households with low socioeconomic status (Pediatrics 2008;121:718–24).

Girls with bedroom TVs spent less time in vigorous activity (4.2 hours/week vs. 5.2 hours/week, spent more time watching TV (20.7 hours/week vs. 15.2 hours/week), and had lower vegetable intake (1.7 servings/day vs. 2 servings/day) and higher sweetened beverage consumption (1.2 servings/day vs. 1 serving/day) than did girls without bedroom TVs. They also participated in fewer family meals (2.9/week vs. 3.7/week).

Boys with bedroom TVs spent more time overall watching TV (22.2 hours/week vs. 18.2 hours/week), had lower fruit intake (1.7 servings/day vs. 2.2 servings/day), and participated in fewer family meals than did those without TVs (2.9/week vs. 3.6/week). They also had lower grade point averages (2.6 compared to 2.9). These differences were all statistically significant.

The investigators suggested that “refraining from placing a TV in adolescents' bedrooms may be a first step in helping to decrease screen time and subsequent poor behaviors associated with increased TV watching.”

Girls with bedroom TVs spent less time in vigorous activity and ate fewer vegetables. ©amaxim/Fotolia.com

Adolescents who had televisions in their bedrooms had less physical activity, poorer dietary habits, and worse school performance than did adolescents without bedroom televisions, investigators from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, reported.

Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, Ph.D., and colleagues found that nearly two-thirds of adolescents aged 15–18 years had a television (TV) in their bedrooms, despite the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against this.

A total of 781 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse teens participated in Project Eating Among Teens (EAT), answering questions about their TV viewing, dietary and exercise habits, and school performance.

Analysis of the data revealed that factors associated with the presence of a bedroom TV included gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The prevalence of a TV in the bedroom among boys was 68%, compared with 58% among girls, and was highest among black youths at 82%, and lowest among Asians at 39%.

Among those from households with highest socioeconomic status, the prevalence was 39%, compared with 61% among those from households with low socioeconomic status (Pediatrics 2008;121:718–24).

Girls with bedroom TVs spent less time in vigorous activity (4.2 hours/week vs. 5.2 hours/week, spent more time watching TV (20.7 hours/week vs. 15.2 hours/week), and had lower vegetable intake (1.7 servings/day vs. 2 servings/day) and higher sweetened beverage consumption (1.2 servings/day vs. 1 serving/day) than did girls without bedroom TVs. They also participated in fewer family meals (2.9/week vs. 3.7/week).

Boys with bedroom TVs spent more time overall watching TV (22.2 hours/week vs. 18.2 hours/week), had lower fruit intake (1.7 servings/day vs. 2.2 servings/day), and participated in fewer family meals than did those without TVs (2.9/week vs. 3.6/week). They also had lower grade point averages (2.6 compared to 2.9). These differences were all statistically significant.

The investigators suggested that “refraining from placing a TV in adolescents' bedrooms may be a first step in helping to decrease screen time and subsequent poor behaviors associated with increased TV watching.”

Girls with bedroom TVs spent less time in vigorous activity and ate fewer vegetables. ©amaxim/Fotolia.com