Are you suffering syndrome telly belly?
28 Apr 2010

Are you suffering from syndrome telly belly?

2 mins to read
Research has established a link between the amount of television you watch and your level of body fat. Online personal trainer Andrew Cate tunes in to discover what impact TV is having on your health.


How does television contribute to weight?

While being overweight is not directly a result of watching television, there are a number of indirect effects that can increase stored body fat. Some of these include:

  • It decreases the amount of time you have available for physical activity
  • It decreases the amount of time you have for planning and preparing healthy meals
  • It can increase your kilojoule intake because of the convenience of nibbling and snacking while viewing. 
  • You may eat poor quality food in front of the television, which may be related to the influence of junk food advertising.

Did you know? – Television has a number of indirect effects that may contribute to the storage of body fat, such as reduced physical activity, decreased time to cook healthy meals, and increased snacking.

The research

Television may also contribute to excess body fat due to the consumption of larger portion sizes. Eating while watching television has been shown to increase your food intake, because it’s harder to concentrate on what you’re eating. A 2008 British study confirmed that subjects who watched television while eating their lunch ended up consuming more snacks during the afternoon.

Study subjects ate an identical lunch, but the group who watched television during their lunch consumed 20 per cent more biscuits in the afternoon. The researchers believe that the distraction of television makes them forget their previous meal more quickly, and they are more likely to be tempted by additional food later in the day. This study also shows that the negative effects of television watching on your waistline can extend beyond the time of actually watching television.

Lifestyle

Following are some guidelines on how to minimise the fattening effects of television viewing.

  • Limit the amount of time you spend watching television, videos, DVD’s, playing computer games and web surfing to a set duration, such as 60 - 90 minutes each day.
  • Cut back on snacking and eating while watching television
  • If you do snack while watching television, make sure the food is healthy, and served out as a set portion.
  • Get active while you watch television by doing floor exercises, or use an exercise machine
  • Do something during the add breaks such as household chores, or moving about
  • Record shows so you can fast forward the advertisements to reduce the time you spend watching television.
  • Aim for 1-2 television free nights each week


 



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