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TV influences kids’ eating habits
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Posted on Apr 30 2001
Leaving your children in front of the television for more than two hours may result to them becoming an overweight adolescent and an obese adult.
Multi-million-dollar campaign has been instrumental in changing the lifestyle and eating habits of not only Americans but also Northern Marianas residents.
During the two-day Healthy Parents/Parenting = Healthy Kids symposium, nutritionist Mojdeh Bruss discussed the effects of well-planned advertisement to encourage children and adults to try even unhealthy food products.
Obesity rates in the CNMI has been on a steady rise that necessitated a stronger educational campaign focused at discouraging local residents from taking too much salt, canned goods, among others.
Based on recent studies, almost 30 percent of the entire population of school boys and girls in the Northern Marianas are overweight, a moving factor that contributes to higher number of diabetes.
Ms. Bruss said obesity increases the risk of death particularly due to heart attack and strokes, adding that one factor that increases the sedentary lifestyle of youth is TV watching.
She urged parents, teachers and the entire community to limit hours of TV watching and encourage children to be active on other forms of sports.
Since 1995, the average number of diabetics who undergo dialysis run from 80 to 103 every year and 35 percent of diabetics have kidney problems.
In the United States, major companies spend over $36 billion on advertisement alone. “Children should not be allowed to watch TV for more than two hours,” said Ms. Bruss during her presentation.
The symposium is the fourth seminar spearheaded by First Lady Sophia Tenorio under the First Lady’s Vision Foundation. Aside from Ms. Bruss, Dr. James Hofschneider discussed men’s health while Dr. Irma Halaby tackled betel nut quid and oral cancer. Presentations were also made on eye care and parenting. (EGA)
