Television viewing habits associated with obesity risk factors: a survey of Melbourne schoolchildren.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether children's television viewing may be a useful indicator of risk of obesity-promoting versus healthy eating behaviours, low-level physical activity (PA) and overweight or obesity among children of primary school entry and exit ages.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study, stratified by area-level socioeconomic status.


METHODS
1560 children (613 aged 5-6 years [50% boys], and 947 aged 10-12 years [46% boys]) from 24 primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, randomly selected proportionate to school size between 1 November 2002 and 30 December 2003.


METHODS
Parents' reports of the time their child spends watching television, their participation in organised physical activities (PA), and their food intake; each child's measured height and weight and their PA levels as assessed by accelerometry for one week.


RESULTS
After adjusting for the age and sex of child, the parents' level of education, clustering by school, and all other health behaviour variables, children who watched television for > 2 h/day were significantly more likely than children who watched television for < or = 2 h/day to: to have one or more serves/day of high energy drinks (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.31; 95% CI, 1.61-3.32), and to have one or more serves/day of savoury snacks (AOR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.04-2.17). They were also less likely to have two or more serves/day of fruit (AOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.46-0.74), or to participate in any organised PA (AOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.34-0.80).


CONCLUSIONS
Health practitioners in the primary care setting may find that asking whether a child watches television for more than 2 hours daily can be a useful indicator of a child's risk of poor diet and low physical activity level.
Salmon
Jo
J
Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia. jsalmon@deakin.edu.au
Campbell
Karen J
KJ
Crawford
David A
DA
D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013690:Television; D013997:Time Factors