TV time may cause metabolic syndrome

While research has proven that will not actually happen, the University of Otago has added to growing evidence that children who watch too much television are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome as an adult.

Otago preventive and social medicine researcher Prof Bob Hancox said the syndrome was a cluster of conditions, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat and abnormal cholesterol levels that led to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Using data from 879 Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study participants, researchers found those who watched more television between the ages of 5 and 15 were more likely to have those conditions at age 45.

On average, they watched just over two hours of television per weekday.

“Those who watched the most had a higher risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood.

“More childhood television viewing time was also associated with a higher risk of … obesity and lower physical fitness.”

Boys watched slightly more television than girls, and metabolic syndrome was more common in men — 34% for men and 20% for women, he said.

However, the link between childhood television viewing time and adult metabolic syndrome was seen in both sexes, and might even have been stronger in women, he said.

There was little evidence that watching less television as an adult reduced the association between childhood television viewing and adult health.

“While, like any observational study, researchers cannot prove that the association between television viewing at a young age directly causes adult metabolic syndrome, there are several plausible mechanisms by which longer television viewing times could lead to poorer long-term health,” Prof Hancox said.

“Television viewing has low energy expenditure and could displace physical activity and reduce sleep quality.

“Screen time may also promote higher energy intake, with children consuming more sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat dietary products with fewer fruit and vegetables.

“These habits may persist into adulthood.”

The results were important because screen times had increased in recent years with new technologies, he said.

“Children today have far more access to screen-based entertainment and spend much more time being sedentary.

“It is likely that this will have even more detrimental effects for adult health.

“These findings lend support to the World Health Organisation recommendation that children and young teenagers should limit their recreational screen time,” he said.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz