Obesity in Irish children on the rise - TV to blame, says study

CHILDREN are becoming couch potatoes by watching too much television, playing video games and avoiding exercise, a survey has revealed.

And a third of pre-teens are either overweight or obese, according to the report by the South Eastern Health Board (SEHB) and the Centre for Health Behaviour Research at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT).

More than half of children between nine and 11 rarely take part in any form of sport or vigorous break-time activity at school.

In the first survey of its kind in the country, more than 300 pupils from 12 schools in Carlow and Kilkenny were assessed in a pilot project called Switch Off, Get Active.

The aim is to assess how schools can play a role in improving children’s levels of exercise and reduce their weight.

It showed that more than half of the children believe they would be left out of conversations with their friends if they watched less television.

Lecturer in Exercise Science at WIT, Michael Harrison, said the project showed children’s television viewing habits and access to screen technology were a major cause of concern. The study, he said, provided invaluable data on the behaviours of children.

“Worrying, too, are the levels of overweight found in this study. But, we have also shown that a school-based, teacher-led intervention can be effective in reducing screen viewing and increasing physical activity.

“The next steps are to develop a ‘reducing sedentary behaviours’ resource which can build on the Switch Off-Get Active materials.”

The study also gathered data on levels of weight and obesity in children along with levels of physical activity and TV, video, DVD viewing and computer game usage.

Children who took part in the research reduced time spent watching TV and playing games compared to those who did not.

They also increased time spent in moderate and vigorous activity compared to children who did not receive the intervention.