The association between television viewing and childhood obesity: a national survey in Thailand.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between television viewing and obesity among Thai children.


METHODS
A one-stage cross-sectional national survey.


METHODS
National communities in Thailand.


METHODS
Four thousand one hundred and ninety-seven children aged 6 to 12 years old.


RESULTS
By using the new national growth reference as a normative data, 262 (6.2%) children in this survey were obese. According to the caregivers, 62 per cent of children watched television I to 3 hours per day. Children who spent more than 3 hours per day watching television were more likely to be obese than the children who watched television less with the odd ratio of 1.8 (95% confidence interval = 1.2-2.8).


CONCLUSIONS
With a one-stage design for determining the association between television viewing and childhood obesity, Thai school age children who watched television more than 3 hours per day were more likely to be obese with statistical significance.
Ruangdaraganon
Nichara
N
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Kotchabhakdi
Nittaya
N
Udomsubpayakul
Umaporn
U
Kunanusont
Chaiyos
C
Suriyawongpaisal
Paibul
P
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors