BC Council for Families

Want kids who are smarter and thinner? Keep them away from the television set as toddlers. 



That's the message from researchers at the Université de Montréal, the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center and the University of Michigan, who found in a recent study that television exposure at age two forecasts negative consequences for kids, ranging from poor school adjustment to unhealthy habits.

A total of 1,314 kids took part in the investigation, part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, which was published this month in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.



"We found every additional hour of TV exposure among toddlers corresponded to a future decrease in classroom engagement and success at math, increased victimization by classmate, having a more sedentary lifestyle, higher consumption of junk food and, ultimately, higher body mass index," says lead author Dr. Linda S. Pagani. "Between the ages of two and four, even incremental exposure to television delayed development.” 



For tips on how parents can promote good TV watching habits in their families, check out the Canadian Paediatric Society’s Growing and Learning tip sheet. Among their recommendations:

• Limit daily TV watching to less than 1 to 2 hours a day. Remember less is best when it comes to screen time. Use your free time for other family activities—reading, visiting museums, walking, biking, or whatever you enjoy.
• Turn off the TV during meals, when visitors arrive and during study time. Don’t use the TV as background noise.
• Children learn from what they see. The morals and values found in a TV show or on a commercial might be different from what you believe. Set a good example with your own viewing habits. You’ll help your children learn your values and ideas.