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TURN OFF T

January 21, 2007 12:50 am

URN OFF THE TV and eat meals as a family if you're concerned about your child's weight. Those are two easy messages from a recent study on preventing schoolchildren from becoming overweight.

We've heard for years about the downside of TV watching, and the study really drives home the link between tube time and physical inactivity.

The research is significant because it tracked a large number of children across the nation. Scientists from the University of Missouri-Columbia followed 8,000 children from kindergarten through third grade; they published their research in this month's Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The researchers found that children who were never overweight averaged about 14 hours of TV and video watching a week, while their overweight counterparts averaged about 16 hours a week. That may sound like a small difference--only 15 to 20 minutes a day--but it added up.

No one knows why, but researchers theorize that the more time kids zone out in front of the tube, the less time they spend burning calories in active play. Also, children who watch more TV are exposed to more advertising for sugary and fast foods.

TV time should be limited to no more than two hours daily for kids over the age of 2, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the federal Committee on Prevention of Obesity in Children. The groups recommended there be no TV at all for kids under age 2.

They also recommend taking the TV out of children's bedrooms--or not putting one there in the first place.

Kids with TVs in the bedroom are 30 percent more likely to be overweight, according to a study at Dartmouth last year.

Unfortunately, 36 percent of all children from infancy to age 6 have TVs in their bedrooms, not to mention VCRs, DVD players and computers, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

"Those with a TV in their room spend an average of 22 minutes more a day watching TV and videos than other children do," the group reported a few years ago.

As the study revealed, watching just an extra 15 to 20 minutes a day increases the risk of being overweight.

Another pitfall worth mentioning: Kids who have TVs in their rooms do worse on tests, according to Stanford University School of Medicine research. TV watching also is a predictor of bullying and attention problems, according to the AAP.

Children who ate breakfast and dinner with at least some family members were more likely to be a healthy weight than those who ate alone, the study showed.

Past studies of older children showed that those who ate meals with their families made more nutritious choices.

"Preparing meals at home provides an opportunity for parents and children to consider food preferences and plan menus, allows for conversation about the day, and creates a setting for adults to model healthful attitudes toward food and eating," the researchers wrote.

In earlier studies, other scientists found family meals don't just protect against becoming overweight, they also relate to higher grades in school and fewer behavior problems. Family meals are better predictors of good performance than studying, church, sports, arts or music, according to research summarized in Ellyn Satter's excellent book "Your Child's Weight: Helping Without Harming."

Satter, a social worker and dietitian, writes that research shows children who eat with their families are less likely to use alcohol and drugs or to have sex.

Satter suggests making meals fun, not a struggle. She advises parents to avoid short-order cooking for picky family members.

Instead, she suggests preparing four or five foods per meal and letting everyone pick and choose what and how much they'll eat from what's already on the table. If you're making something unfamiliar, be sure to provide a familiar or favorite food, such as bread, as backup.

By limiting TV and eating together as a family, you'll not only help keep your child healthy, you'll feel closer.

For more tips about family meals, visit Satter's Web site at ellynsatter.com.

JENNIFER MOTL, a registered dietitian, welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.