From U Minnesota: Decrease in Television Viewing Predicts Lower Body Mass Index at 1-Year Follow-Up in Adolescents, but Not Adults

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22591582

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2012 May 14. [Epub ahead of print]

Decrease in Television Viewing Predicts Lower Body Mass Index at 1-Year Follow-Up in Adolescents, but Not Adults.

French SA, Mitchell NR, Hannan PJ.

Source

Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To examine associations between television viewing, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, eating out, physical activity, and body weight change over 1 year.

DESIGN:

Secondary data analysis from randomized intervention trial.

SETTING:

Households in the community.

PARTICIPANTS:

Adults (n = 153) and adolescents (n = 72) from the same households.

INTERVENTION:

Households were randomized to a home-based obesity prevention intervention or to a no-intervention control group for a 1-year period.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Self-reported television viewing (TV) hours, diet, and physical activity. Body mass index (BMI) computed from measured weight and height (primary outcome measure).

ANALYSIS:

Mixed-model regression.

RESULTS:

Among adolescents, a significant prospective association was observed between decreases in television viewing hours and lower BMI z score at 1-year follow-up (decreased TV hours: BMI z score mean = 0.65; no change or increase TV hours: BMI z score = 0.92; P < .02). No significant prospective associations were observed among adults.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:

Reducing television viewing may be an effective strategy to prevent excess weight gain among adolescents.