Limit "Tube Time" this week

Date published: April 21, 2008

Limit 'Tube Time' this week
Being active helps fight obesity

This is National Turnoff Week, a time to start limiting recreational screen time and boosting physical activity and healthier living.

"We know that the more time a child spends in front of the TV or computer, the more likely he or she is to be overweight," said Acting U.S. Surgeon General Steven K. Galson. "Kids are spending more time sitting in front of screens every day than they do anything else except perhaps sleeping. For Turnoff Week, we are asking parents to turn off the screens and get active with their kids."

Tips for parents:

Agree to limit screen time to no more than 2 hours a day.
Don't put a TV in your child's bedroom.

Make screen time, active time by doing simple exercises during commercial breaks.

Take a family walk after dinner instead of turning on the TV.
Turn off the TV and play ball at the park.

Parents and others can download a free screen time log to help assess the amount of time children and other family members spend watching TV, playing video games, or using the computer for recreational purposes.

For more information, visit http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov

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