Relationship between the Times Spent Watching TV and Playing Games with Fat Mass in Primary School Children

Background and

Childhood obesity is an important health issue in Iran, however, there is not enough information about the effects of entertainment media on this issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the times spent watching TV and playing games with body composition in children aged 6-9 years old in Tehran.

A cross sectional study was conducted among111children selected through multistage sampling from primary schools in Tehran. Information about the time children spent watching TV and playing games was collected using a questionnaire completed by the children’s parents. Moreover, body composition of the children was measured by the Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and the Actigraph was used to determine the children’s sleep patterns and physical activities. Finally, energy and macronutrient intake data was obtained using 3-day food records.

There was no significant gender difference for the time spent watching TV or videos and playing games. Furthermore, we found a significant positive association (P<0.05) between the hours spent watching TV and the fat mass index (FMI). The results revealed no significant relationship between the total fat free mass index (FFMI) and the time spent watching TV or videos and playing games (P>0.05).

The findings of the present study show that FMI as a measure of body fat is associated with watching TV. However, further studies are needed to identify the true association between using entertainment media and the alarming rise in childhood obesity and body fat.