While doing research on the media and nutrition, I came across this fantastic meta-analysis from the International Journal of Obesity, entitled 'Relationships between media use, body fatness and physical activity in children and youth: a meta-analysis' (S. J. Marshall, S. J. H. Biddle, T. Gorely, N. Cameron, I. Murdey, 2004).
As I read the abstract, I was shocked to see that no strong correlation exists between media-viewing and body weight!
"While the total amount of time per day engaged in sedentary behavior is inevitably prohibitive of physical activity, media-based inactivity may be unfairly implicated in recent epidemiologic trends of overweight and obesity among children and youth."
The meta-analysis goes on to say that there might not be a strong relationship because of all the other factors involved with body weight and media use, which is understandable, however I was still surprised - because if kids are watching tv or playing video games, then they aren't outside exercising! Perhaps more interactive games, like the wii, have helped get kids moving? Very interesting.
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