Children's Television-Viewing Habits and the Family Environment

The effects of television food advertisement on children's food purchasing requests

“…Other studies also show similar results and indicate that children spend 2–5 h a day watching television 50–53 and that from ages 2–4 years there is an increase in daily viewing hours which peaks at about age 5, then decreases until the age of 7 years 54 …”

Television-viewing Habits and Sleep Disturbance in School Children

“…It should be emphasized that this association between television-viewing habits and sleep disturbance emerged even in a sample population in which many of the reported television-viewing practices, such as average amount of television viewed per day, and television viewing during meals were of a modest proportion compared with reports from other studies, 13,15,16 and in which television viewing appeared to be overall closely monitored by parents. The amount of television viewed by children in the sample population was very close to the current American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations of no more than 2 hours per day, 6 although, as found in previous surveys, increased television viewing was associated with lower SES, 1,13 as were a number of other viewing practices in this population, such as rules regarding television viewing. That parents in this sample were also aware of the association between violent and provocative or disturbing television program content and negative effects on children's behavior 6,7,17 is suggested by the very low percentage of programs recorded on the television diaries that were considered even potentially inappropriate for young children.…”

Nutrition beliefs of disadvantaged parents of overweight children

“…Children who routinely watch television while eating have been found to make unhealthier food choices and to have poorer eating habits compared to children who do not eat in front of the television. 18,19 Most of the parents in the present study did not appear to be aware of these potential outcomes and reported frequently allowing their children to eat in front of the television. This was most common when eating snacks, although some also reported that their evening meals were consumed in this fashion:We all sit at the table, the TV is always on, and Elijah is always turned around in his chair watching it because the Simpsons are always on.…”