Kids eat more when TV is on during meals

Those who dined in front of television ate 200 calories more, study says

Kids and parenting videos

Protect your baby from SIDS
Oct. 7: NBC’s chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman discusses two important health studies that may help your children stay safe and healthy this season.

Internet videos tempt teens

Are cold meds safe for kids?

FDA rejects ban on kids’ cold meds

Doctor answers ‘Mommy Calls’

updated 5:43 p.m. ET July 8, 2008

OTTAWA - Everyone knows what too much television can do to the mind and what too little exercise can do to the body, but a Canadian study has now shown that the boob tube can also lead to an increase in how much we eat.

Studying childhood obesity, University of Toronto nutritionist Harvey Anderson found that kids who watched TV while eating lunch took in 228 extra calories than those who ate without the television on.

"One of Anderson's conclusions is that eating while watching television overrides our ability to know when to stop eating," the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, which funded the study, said on Tuesday.

Story continues below ↓

"In effect, mindless television watching produces mindless eating. ... Anderson has some immediate advice for parents — turn the television off during mealtime."

Click for related content

Bigger injuries hitting little athletes
Cholesterol drugs urged for some 8-year-olds
Parents of twins more prone to mental issues