Study: Television Viewing in Youth Linked to Higher Risk of Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity

A new Pediatrics study provides evidence of a long-term association between watching television during childhood and adolescence and metabolic syndrome in mid-adulthood. Core components of metabolic syndrome include obesity, insulin resistance, abnormal blood lipids, and high blood pressure. Participants in the study “Childhood and Adolescent Television Viewing and Metabolic Syndrome in Mid-Adulthood” were born in 1972 or 1973 in New Zealand. Weekday television viewing times were recorded at ages 5, 7, 9, 6 11, 13, 15, and 32 years. Participants were most recently assessed at age 45. This study in the August 2023 issue of Pediatrics (published online July 24) revealed those who had watched more television during childhood and adolescence were more likely to have metabolic syndrome at age 45. Television viewing between ages 5-15 years was also associated with greater body mass index values, lower cardiorespiratory fitness, greater waist circumference, and higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure at age 45. The findings are independent of adult television-watching habits. Authors of the study say interventions to reduce the time that children and young people spend on screen-based activities may have substantial long-lasting benefits for health.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.