Health Hints
Are you a couch potato?
by Deborah Maqueira, Health Educator, Washington County Health Department
Turning off the television is a great way to improve your family’s health. Americans watch an average of more than four hours of TV a day, or two full months of TV a year. The proportion of overweight children has doubled since 1980 due, in part, to an increase in sedentary leisure-time activities, such as watching TV. Already, more than one in four adults in the U. S. is obese.
Exercise and diet are two essential factors in preventing obesity, and watching less TV can help you with both of these. In fact, doing almost anything else uses more energy than watching TV. Also, spending less time in front of the TV frees up more time for exercise. Less TV also means less mindless snacking.
If you would like to turn off the TV and turn on a healthier lifestyle, TV-Turnoff Week April 25 – May 1 is a good way to get started. Each April, millions across the country turn off the TV and discover new, healthier hobbies that help them make long-term changes in their viewing habits. Cancelling premium cable services, moving the TV to a less prominent location and keeping the TV off during meals are also small steps in a healthier direction.
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