DID YOU KNOW …
“In a study of preschools (ages 1-4), a child’s risk of being overweight increased by 6% for every hour of television watched per day. If a child had a TV in his or her bedroom, the odds of being overweight jumped an additional 31% for every hour watched”
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that parents limit their child’s TV time to 1-2 hours daily. Spending excessive amounts of time in front of the television leads to a sedentary lifestyle, which is harmful not only physically but mentally as well. Kids like to spend time watching TV because the shows are fun. Help your kids find joy and fun in other activities that are good for their physical well being.
Parent Tip: Set healthy boundaries for your kids. Start by charting your family’s current TV intake. Talk as a family about the amount of time you spend in front of the TV and set a TV budget. Involve your kids in the conversation and make a family goal.
Kid Tip: Use commercials as a time to move! See how many times you can walk up and down the stairs, jog in place, do jumping jacks, or challenge your siblings and/or parent to a sit-up or push-up contest.
Daily Challenge: If you don’t have time for 30-60 minutes at the gym try 10 minutes of activity throughout your day. You can walk the stairs in your office, stretch, wall sits, or push-ups or sit-ups using your office chair. It is just important that you are active for 10 minutes.
*Statistics found here
