You may think your preschooler's daily dose of cartoons and children's shows are harmless, but in a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers from Columbia University in New York found a link between obesity and television viewing in preschoolers.

Over 2,700 parents of preschoolers were interviewed about their child's television viewing habits in a two-year study. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children two years and younger watch no TV at all, 82% of one-year-old children watched TV and videos, and almost all two- to four-year-olds watched TV regularly. Four-year-olds watched an average of 18 hours of TV per week, whereas one-year-olds watched 11 hours of TV weekly. In addition the more hours of TV or videos children watched, the higher the likelihood that they would be overweight or obese. Children with TV sets in their bedrooms spent an average of about five more hours per week watching TV and were significantly more likely to be overweight.

The best way to help your child kick the TV habit is to set a good example by limiting your own viewing. Encourage your child to turn off the television set and get involved in sports, games or outdoor activities, and reduce the amount of TV your child watches by limiting TV to weekends or special occasions only and keeping TVs out of bedrooms.

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Sources:  Dennison BA, Erb TA, Jenkins PL. Television viewing and television in bedroom associated with overweight risk among low-income preschool children. Pediatrics 2002 Jun;109(6):1028-35.