TELEVISION

In our modern day world, television is an essential part to almost every home throughout the nation.  It is hard to imagine life without television as it provides entertainment to people of all ages.  However, television was not always like this for it has a long history of how it came into being (http://www.thehistoryoftelevision.com/).  Where people use to read the newspaper to obtain information about their society, television takes precedence and has become a source where information is released and constantly updated.  Television is also a valuable resource for advertising and different kinds of programming.  We have even become dependent on television shows to teach children!

However, it has become a recent trend that the more time a child spends sitting in front of the TV, the more likely that child will become obese.  Recent studies have concluded that school-age children spend more time watching television than in any other activity except for sleeping. If a child’s parents enable them to become addicted to watching TV, these children are at risk for serious health issues in their future.  Children should be outside playing and enjoying their childhood, watching television as a leisurely activity: it should not become the center of their universe. Although some studies have suggested that watching educational programs can have positive effects on learning and behavior, numerous studies have found an association between television viewing and negative childhood outcomes: so these television shows that teach children should be used in moderation and NOT abused.  To seek further information on this growing issue go to http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleeping-angels/200908/watching-tv-leads-obesity.