Summary
Published Date: June 25, 2012
The more time your teen spends in front of the television or computer, the more likely he or she is to not exercise.
In fact, inactive teens — those who get less than 60 minutes of physical activity on any day in a week — watched nearly four hours more of TV per week and used the computer two hours more than those who were physically activeon five or more days, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Authored by Center researchers Sue Babey and Joelle Wolstein, the study used 2005 California Health Interview Survey data to find that, on average, teens in the study spent 16 hours watching TV or playing video games in a week; an additional 10 hours of leisure time was spent on the computer. Male, American-Indian and African-American teenagers watched as much as 10 hours more of TV per week than other teens. Asian-American teenagers and those who live in affluent neighborhoods used the computer more in their leisure time. However, parents of teens who kept a close eye on their children's activities tended to use the computer less.Researchers recommend that parents set limits on television viewing and computer use and increase teens' physical activity.
Publication Authors:
- Susan H. Babey, PhD
- Theresa A. Hastert
- Joelle Wolstein, PhD, MPP, MA