Abstract: BMI Related to Number of Meals Eaten Watching TV as
Reported by 4TH to 6TH Grade Students: Demographic Differences
Carter JB, Cullen KW, Baranowski T. BMI Related to Number
of Meals Eaten Watching TV as Reported by 4TH to 6TH Grade
Students: Demographic Differences.
Abstract for the American Dietetic Association Meeting, Denver,
CO, October 2000.
The number of children between the ages 7 and 10 with a BMI above
the 85th percentile is currently 21%. Previous research has
suggested a correlation between a child's BMI and hours spent watching
television.
However, no data has been reported on the relationship between
the number of meals and snacks eaten and television watching, nor
on demographic or BMI correlates of who eats while watching TV.
Seven days of food records (FR) were completed by 70 African (AA)-,
97 Euro (EA)-, 88 Mexican (MA)-,and 32 Asian (AO) - American 4th-6th
grade students in the Houston area.
Students were asked to check whether each meal was eaten in front
of the television. In addition, the FRs were coded for the child's
ethnicity, gender, grade level and the self-reported BMI; the number
of parents in the household and the education level of the mother.
For the 1775 dinners recorded, 42% were eaten in front of the television
(D-TV). AA students reported more D-TV (62%) than EA (32%),
MA (44%), or AO (21%) students.
More children in single-parent households reported D-TV (53%) than
in two-parent households (39%). Overweight children (BMI >85th
percentile) reported more D-TV (50%) than normal weight children
(35%). This difference remained significant after controlling
for the child's gradelevel, gender and ethnicity. For the
1518 breakfast meals reported, 31% were eaten while watching television,
which did not vary significantly by BMI, ethnicity or other measured
parameters. While sedentary television watching should be
replaced by physical activity, childhood obesity prevention programs
should also consider targeting dinner-meal televisionwatching, especially
in minority households.
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