Study links childhood obesity with screen time – The Hindu

A study of 490 children across Gurugram and Punjab found that 84% of the respondents classified as obese spent five hours or more (per day) in front of screens.

The study conducted by the Haryana-based Medanta Hospital was released ahead of World Heart Day on September 29.

Speaking about his survey, Rajneesh Kapoor from the Interventional Cardiology department at the hospital said, Our study aims to scan the lifestyle of children who had Body Mass Index (BMI) ranging between 25- 40. BMI of 25-30 is medically considered overweight, and BMI of more than 30 is obese. In the study, 490 children participated by responding through a multiple-choice questionnaire. The total screen time was calculated by simply summing up the different screen times they reported.

Screen time is a term used for activities done in front of a screen, such as watching TV, working on a computer, or playing video games.

Screen time is sedentary activity, meaning the person is physically inactive and uses very little energy during the period.

Based on BMI index, 46% of the respondents were found to be obese and 44% overweight. Around 50 were excluded from the study because the weight gain was found linked with other medical reasons.

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Study links childhood obesity with screen time - The Hindu