Television and Health

Critics of Using Television

as a source to creating healthier lifestyles emphasize the various advertisement campaigns promoting food lacking in nutrients and high in calories. The article, “Television Watching and Sit Time,” from the Harvard School of Public Health

Organization, demonstrates the negative effects of television as it focuses on studies that indicate the association of television viewing and poor diet quality. According to a comprehensive review by the Institute of Medicine, “the thousands of food-related TV ads that children and youth see each year are primarily for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks…”(Par. 8). This study, along with various other studies, demonstrates the negative advertising that children are exposed to while watching television. Studies indicate that these television food advertisements easily influence children to establish poorer diets.

However

There is a lack of studies showing the same results for adults. Karen Sternheimer, author of the book “Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture: Why Media is not the Answer,” responds to similar statistics by asking “why adults are more likely to be overweight and obese than children or teens and why their rates rose even faster?” (199). Adults are less likely to be influenced by food advertisements promoting unhealthy food than children are. Similarly, the link between obesity and television viewing is rather weak. In her book, Sternheimer asks the question, “What factors lead to more television watching and other sedentary activities in the first place?” In other words, why do some individuals prefer to interact in more sedentary activities? While some experts believe that television watching causes obesity, obesity is actually more likely to cause an increase in television watching. Individuals who are obese or overweight tend to enjoy sedentary activities such as taking a nap or playing videogames more than they do taking a walk or playing basketball.  Those who are less motivated to perform different physical activities use platforms such as television to relax. In this case, television is not the cause of sedentary activity; rather, it is used as a resource for inactive individuals.           

 

Some Experts

associate television viewing with sedentary behaviors. Television is commonly a sedentary activity in which viewers are typically relaxed. Experts claim that individuals should decrease television time in order to support a more active lifestyle.

However

A decrease in television watching most likely will not result in an increase in physical activity.  Sternheimer cites a study in which researchers conclude that “there is no evidence that television viewing displaces educational activities; instead, it is likely that television viewing replaces other leisure activities, like listening to music, playing video games,and so forth” (76). The findings of the study indicate that television viewing does not negatively correlate with active behaviors, as there are various other sedentary activities that can replace television viewing.