For many years, health professionals and child development experts have warned about American youngsters watching too much television and having too much easy access to a TV set. A recent study indicates, however, that parents don’t seem to be listening to this professional advice.

A research team from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health questioned 781 teens (average age was 17.2 years) living in the Minneapolis area during a two-year period, 2003 and 2004. Their findings confirmed results of earlier studies that nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of America’s children have TV sets installed in their own bedrooms. The team proceeded to examine the consequences of this easy access to TV, especially among older adolescents.

Some of their findings should give a parent pause:

• Adolescents with bedroom TV tended to spend more hours watching it, as much as 5 more hours per week than teens without bedroom TV.

• There were two heavy watchers (at least 5 hours per day) among adolescents who had bedroom TV for every one adolescent without it.

• Teenage girls preferred to watch their bedroom TV than engage in exercise, and these girls had only 1.8 hours of exercise a week, while girls without TV in their rooms got 2.5 exercise hours. Girls with TV also consumed fewer vegetables but more sweetened beverages, and they joined their family for meals less often.

• Teenage boys with bedroom television chalked up lower grade point averages than boys who didn’t have TV; they also ate less fruit and shared fewer meals with the family.

• TV was more likely to be present in boys’ bedrooms (68 percent) than in girls’ bedrooms (58 percent).

• Adolescents belonging to the highest income families were very much less likely to have bedroom TV sets than teens from other income levels.

• Bedroom TV was reported by 39 percent of Asian American teens, 60 percent of whites, 66 percent of Hispanics, and 82 percent of African Americans.

The researchers believe there isn’t always a deliberate plan to put a TV in the teen’s bedroom. But when the family buys a larger TV, the teen child asks for the old one.

Health experts would like parents to remember that there is overwhelming research pointing to deleterious effects of excessive TV watching on grades, eating habits, children’s affinity to violence, and especially in development of social relationships.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents remove TV sets from their children’s bedrooms.

Safety Tips:

• Resist firmly any pressure from your kids to put a TV set in their bedroom. There may be some resentment for a while, but parents should think only of what’s best for the child.

• Set a good example: limit your own TV viewing and don’t have a TV in your bedroom.

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