ALABAMA A&M and AUBURN UNIVERSITIES

SATURDAY MORNING CHILDREN'S TELEVISION SHOWS MAY ENCOURAGE POOR EATING HABITS

AUBURN, OCT. 8---Television viewing has been examined as a possible factor in the development of obesity in children and adolescents.

Children in the United States spend more time watching television than any other single activity except sleeping. By the time they are 70, today's children will have watched television for a full seven years of their lives.

This may be a concern for many reasons, says Dr. Barbara Struempler, an Extension nutritionist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System." "From a nutritional point of view, the issue is the relationship between television viewing, food behavior and lifelong health, particularly the development of obesity."

In addition to engaging children in a passive use of their time, television might contribute to the development of obesity through the influence of advertising on food behavior. It's estimated children view as many as three hours of food commercials a week, says Struempler.

One study assessed programming on five television networks between 7-10:30 a.m. on three different Saturdays. On average 19 commercials aired per hour -- 11 were for food. This translates into a child being exposed to a food ad every five minutes.

Almost 44 percent of the food commercials were for foods belonging to the fats, oils and sweets food group. These included candy, cereals with sugar as the main ingredient by weight; soft drinks, chocolate products; whipped topping; flavored gelatin, cakes, cookies and pastries.

 Bread, cereal, rice and pasta product commercials were next in frequency, accounting for 37.5 percent of all ads. Of these, 130 were for high-sugar cereals. High-sugar cereals are defined as those cereals having more than 29 percent sugar by weight.

Fast food restaurant ads represented 10.8 percent of all commercials; milk cheese and yogurt products represented 4 percent of the total; frozen combination meals 2.5 percent and meats, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nut products 1.6 percent.

No food advertisements were for fruits or vegetables.

Researchers agreed the diet illustrated on Saturday morning television is the exact opposite of recommended healthy eating for children. Therefore, dietitians and educators should help children become responsible, informed consumers and should counsel parents about the influence of television on children's food choices.

 SOURCE: DR. BARBARA STRUEMPLER, Extension nutritionist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System (334) 844-2217.