Federal Policy Opportunities for Reducing Sedentary Behavior

Restrict Screen Time​

Advocate for limits on screen time in child care and after school programs that receive federal funding
Child care and after school programs that receive federal funding should limit children's screen time to no more than two hours per day, taking into account the fact that some children also have screen time at home. After school programs (including comprehensive community sport and recreation programs) should be supported, along with policies that allow for community and school facilities to be open after hours. Opportunities for physical activities should be available to all children and youth at reasonable costs, and access to recreation facilities should be equally available to both sexes.

Recommended by:

• AAP Policy: Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents
• AAP Policy: Active Healthy Living: Prevention of Childhood Obesity Through Increased Physical Activity
• AAP Policy: Health, Mental Health and Safety Guidelines for Schools: Activity Opportunities Beyond Physical Education
• Innovations in Addressing Childhood Obesity: Testimony of AAP Obesity Leadership Workgroup Chair Sandra Hassink, MD, FAAP, before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health (December 16, 2009)
• Childhood Obesity: Beginning the Dialogue on Reversing the Epidemic; Testimony of AAP Obesity Leadership Workgroup Chair Sandra Hassink, MD FAAP, before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (March 4, 2010)
• AAP letter to White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity

For more information:

• White House Task Force on Childhood Obesi​ty Report​
• After School Alliance

Advocate for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations that limits the amount of television programming that targets children
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should work to reduce children's television programming hours each day. In addition, the FCC should limit commercial advertising on children's programming to no more than five to six minutes per hour, which would decrease the current amount by 50 percent, and prohibit interactive food advertising to children in digital TV and online platforms.

Recommended by:

• AAP Policy: Children, Adolescents, and Advertising
• AAP Policy: Children, Adolescents, and Television
• AAP Policy: Children, Adolescents, and Media
• Innovations in Addressing Childhood Obesity: Testimony of AAP Obesity Leadership Workgroup Chair Sandra Hassink, MD, FAAP, before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health (December 16, 2009)
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report: Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) ResearchBrief: Food and Beverage Marketing to Children and Adolescents
• Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Report: Guidelines to Responsible Food Marketing to Children

For more information:

• White House Task Force on Childhood Obes​ity Report​
• Children Now

Advocate with FTC for stronger regulations on food marketed to children
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should work to limit and regulate the unhealthy food products advertised specifically to children during children's programming. The FTC should ban advertising for food of minimal nutritional value during programming that is viewed predominantly by young children.

Recommended by:

• AAP Policy: Children, Adolescents, and Advertising
• AAP Policy: Children, Adolescents, and Television
• AAP Policy: Children, Adolescents, and Media
• Innovations in Addressing Childhood Obesity: Testimony of AAP Obesity Leadership Workgroup Chair Sandra Hassink, MD, FAAP, before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health (December 16, 2009)
• Childhood Obesity: Beginning the Dialogue on Reversing the Epidemic; Testimony of AAP Obesity Leadership Workgroup Chair Sandra Hassink, MD FAAP, before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (March 4, 2010)
• AAP Letter to White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report: Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report: Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Brief: Food and Beverage Marketing to Children and Adolescents
• Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Report: Guidelines to Responsible Food Marketing to Children

For more information:

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Report on Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents
• Children Now
• White House Task Force on Childhoo​d Obesity Report​