In its July 2011 issue of Pediatrics, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a new policy statement on the impact of Kids’ Media (TV, computers, videogames) on the ever-worsening worldwide obesity epidemic. The policy intends to challenge our conventional understanding of this issue: that by engaging with Kid’s media, children are choosing sedentary activity over active activity. In other words, until recently we have thought that Kids’ Media contributes to obesity simply by means of taking up time that would have otherwise been spent being more active: the more the media engagement, the more sedentary the lifestyle. As valid as this model might be, a growing body of literature is emerging suggesting that the sinister effects of kids’ media go far beyond its opportunity cost. We are learning that the advertising messages in kids’ media are adversely influencing dietary choices. Furthermore, children eat more both while and after screentime engagement. Interestingly, too, late night screen time interferes with sleep quality, and poor sleep quality is well known to cause or worsen obesity.
In all likelihood, the medical research published thus far is only unveiling the tip of the iceberg in terms of how media is adversely affecting the physical,psychological, and emotional well-being of our children and adolescents. In the AAP publication AAP News highlights, Victor Strasburger, MD, FAAP, is quoted as saying “We’ve created a perfect storm for childhood obesity – media, advertising, and inactivity. American society couldn’t do a worse job at the moment of keeping children fit and healthy – too much TV, too many food ads, not enough exercise, and not enough sleep.”
The new policy statement focuses on getting pediatricians to advocate more strongly for limiting this powerful reach and negative impact of kids’ media. Below is a summary of the policy statement’s recommendations:
- Encourage parents to discuss food advertising with their children as they monitor children’s TV viewing and teach them about good nutrition.
- Continue to counsel parents to limit total, non-educational screen time to no more than two hours per day, and avoid putting TV sets and Internet connections in children’s bedrooms.
- Work with community groups and schools to implement media education programs in classrooms, child care centers and community centers.
- Be aware that children with high levels of screen time also have more stress, putting them at risk not only for obesity but for a number of other conditions such as diabetes, mood disorders and asthma.
The statement also advises that pediatricians and primary care providers advocate on local, state, and national levels for:
- a ban on junk food advertising
- restrictions on interactive food advertising to children via digital media
- funding for research into the health and psychosocial effects of heavy media use in children
- more prosocial media platforms and resources for children that encourage them to choose healthy foods
It will be interesting to see, over time, whether these recommendations translate into some meaningful success in the fight against the worldwide obesity crisis.
Do you think that kids’ media is as sinister as the AAP is making it out to be or is their position right on the mark? Should there be more focus on encouraging parents and/or the children themselves to take more responsibility for their individual health and lifestyle circumstances? Please share your thoughts as comments below.
Yes, the first thing I saw when I opened the page was the fruit loops that autcally look like colorful foam to me now. At one point in my life I ate that as a child, and started giving it to my own son until about 10 yrs.ago, when my son was showing signs of A.D.H.D. So I put a halt on all dyed foods and started reading every label! This of course helped extremely, but he was still showing signs of radical behavior, not focusing, and the all hated words from his teachers he’s just not paying attention and lacks discipline . I knew my son was being disciplined. The problem was he wasn’t learning at the level that he should have been, it was very clear. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome which carries severe A.D.H.D. So I really had no choice but to switch him to a better diet. The problem was that every time that annoying music would sound from The Golden Arches, he needed that food! I had to make a stand and ignore the outrageous temper tantrums and start my own path of a new way of life. I knew if my son saw me making my own juice and eating Whole Foods that he’d get interested enough. I had already been disabled with many injuries from a severe car accident. So when he saw me not only making my days out of gathering foods, juicing them,and having fun with it, he saw me get better, and feel better by being able to do things I hadn’t done in years. It made him decide he wanted to feel better too after I explained to him what real food would autcally do for him. He knew he wasnt like other kids his age and approaching puberty, well he was pretty much going bannanas on the inside. He wanted to try anything that would help his skin clear, and not have the need to be on the medication as much, as he was already on. It’s taken over a good 5 years to get him interested in drinking anything GREEN, that looked like God knows what but as long as its mixed in a smoothie with bananas and strawberries, he gets his Uber nutrient shakes that taste a lot better than fast food shakes. Plus he’s enjoying home cooked meals that he knows give him muscle tone, since that’s what he’s shooting for due to entering the 8th grade with it’s girls. HAH! I wish I would have started him on this regime at an earlier age. But I’m more than thrilled with the results of learning about food that changed both of our lives.