Obesity: It’s Not TV – It’s TV Dinners



People who watch more TV tend to be heavier that people who don’t. The question, however, is whether it is the lack of physical activity associated with TV watching or the snacking that often goes with it that accounts for the weight gain.

This question was recently addressed by Verity Cleland and colleagues from the Menzies Research Institute, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, in a paper just out in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

This study involved a cross-sectional analysis of data from 2001 Australian adults aged 26-36 y. Waist circumference (WC) was measured at study clinics, and TV viewing time, frequency of food and beverage consumption during TV viewing, leisure time physical activity, and demographic characteristics were self-reported.

In both men and women, watching more than 3 hrs of TV per day was associated with a roughly two-fold higher risk of abdominal obesity compared to men or women watching an hour or less per day.

Interestingly, adjusting for leisure time physical activity did not change this relationship, whereas adjusting for food and beverage consumption during TV viewing did.

The authors conclude that the impact of TV viewing on weight is more likely due to the associated snacking than due to the sedentariness of sitting in front of the TV.

So if you do watch a lot of TV, watch out for those snacks and drinks.

Remember, one of the best weight management tips has always been: do not eat in front of the TV!

AMS
Edmonton, Alberta