Only News Photos Video/Audio RESTRICTING TV ANDPUTER TIME HELPS KIDS LOSE WEIGHT BY STEVEN REINBERG _HealthDay Reporter_ _1 hour, 36 minutes ago_ MONDAY, March 3 (HealthDay News) Cutting kids TV andputer time by half reduced the amount of food they ate and helped them lose weight, a new study found.The finding offers hope to the problem of childhood obesity in the United States, where an estimated 16 percent of children ages 6 to 19 years old are overweight, a 45 percent increase in one decade, according to federal researchers.Viewing is related to consumption of fast food and foods and beverages that are advertised on television," the study authors said in a prepared statement.Cartoons with embedded foodmercials can increase choice of the advertised item in preschoolers, and televisionmercials may prompt eating.The findings are published in the March issue of the _Archives of Pediatrics the device allowed for the reduction of the childrens weekly screen time by 10 percent a week until a 50 percent reduction had been reached.Family member was given a unique code to activate the TV orputer.Addition, the kids received such incentives as money and stickers to spend less time with TVs orputers.The other overweight children had no restriction on their use of TVs orputers.Epsteins team found that the children who had no restrictions on theirputer or TV use reduced their TV watching orputer-games playing by 5.A week.The kids with restricted use cut their TV andputer time by 17.A week.And, the children with restricted TV andputer time lost more weight than the other children.The researchers found no difference between the two groups in terms of physical activity."Using technology to modify television viewing eliminates parental vigilance needed to enforce family rules and reduces the disciplinary action needed if a child exceeds his or her sedentary behavior limits," the authors concluded.Most important, the device puts the choice of when to watch television in the childs control, as opposed to a rule such as no television time until homework ispleted.Dr.Katz, director of the Yale University School of Medicine Prevention Research Center, said the study, "shows the upside to this ominous mix reducing screen time can help prevent childhood obesity by several mechanisms.Screen time may be even more important to dietary pattern than to physical activity pattern.By either means, the ends here are encouraging and highlight the importance of this strategy.MORE INFORMATION For more on childhood obesity, visit the .Yahoo!RMEND THIS STORY Rmend It: Not at All Somewhat Moderately Highly Very Highly Average (Not Rated) _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _Reuters_ _AP_ _Reuters_ _AP_ _Reuters_ _ ABC News - Mon Mar 3, 3:02 PM ET_ _ CBS 2 / KCAL 9 Los Angeles - Mon Mar 3, 4:10 PM ET_ _ CNN - Mon Mar 3, 9:01 AM ET_ _ ABC News - Mon Mar 3, 3:01 PM ET_ Health Video Elsewhere On The Web ABC NEWS: CNN: TIME: From Y!Find answers on Yahoo!Add Headlines To Your Personalized My Yahoo!Health - HealthDay Parenting/Kids News NEWS ALERTS __ Get an alert when there are new stories about: State University of New York Prevention Research Center Yale University School of Medicine childhood obesity in the United States - - SEARCH: All News Yahoo!Only News Photos Video/Audio PRIMARY NAVIGATION Copyright 2008 HealthDay.Rights reserved.Contained above is intended for general reference purposes only.Is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam.Seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment.Read more Fda approves asmanex) twisthaler (mometasone furoate inhalation powder) for the once daily maintenance treatment of asthma in children ages 4-11
Get more [letters to the editor] catatonia or no catatonia: still beyond lorazepam/amobarbital
