Computer and television use greatly increases weight

BOYS using a computer for one or more hours on an average weeknight are over twice as likely to be obese as those not using a computer, a report reveals.

The growing up in ireland survey found that boys who watched television for more than three hours on an average school night were four times more likely to be obese than boys watching less than an hour.

Girls watching more than three hours were almost twice as likely to be obese, according to latest data on overweight and obesity among nine year olds.