TV raising kids’ blood pressure
As a child, you probably heard warnings about sitting too close to the television screen, or how watching too much TV will rot your brain. Those threats may have been exaggerated, but a recent European study finds that children who watch over two hours of television a day can increase their risk for high blood pressure by 30 percent.
The study also showed that television watching along with less than one hour of physical activity can increase their risk of high blood pressure by 50 percent.
Some doctors hope the findings will be a wake-up call for parents to their kids’ time in front of the screen.
“We always stress how important it is for children to have an active and healthy lifestyle,” says Dr. Aaron Traeger, pediatrician for Advocate Medical Group in Normal, Ill. “This study is another reason to get your child off the couch and into different activities. It can be hard during winter months, but there are plenty of fun activities that can be done inside that keep your child moving and away from a screen or monitor.”
Study leaders noted that arterial pressure in childhood can lead to developing high blood pressure as an adult. It is recommended by experts that adolescents get at least 60 minutes of exercise per day to help prevent future disease and promote an active and healthy lifestyle.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
