Just because the kids aren’t watching TV or playing video games, doesn’t mean they’re getting any exercise.
Children who exceed screen time recommendations or who fall short of activity recommendations are more likely to be obese, according to researchers. But a new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics chipped away at the theory that screen time is exceedingly to blame for inactivity in youth.
Overall, 70 percent of the 1,218 children ages 6 to 11 who were involved with the study met physical activity recommendations, and 54 percent of them met screen-time limitations. However, fewer than 4 in 10 children met both recommendations at the same time.
In conclusion, low levels of screen time do not necessarily predict higher levels of physical activity, researchers wrote.
— Anne Aurand, The Bulletin