Scientists from the State University of New York drew their conclusions from an experiment involving 70 children between the ages of four and seven, all of whom were included in the 25 percent most obese children in the population. The homes of half of the subjects were outfitted with a device that limited their amount of television and computer use to only a specific length of time. Any extension would cause the television or the computer to shut off, remaining so for the rest of the week.
The amount of time the group was allowed to watch television was given was cut down by 10 percent each month, until the scientists managed to cut it down to half of the original 25 hours.
The scientists discovered that the group given television restrictions watched television 17.5 hours less per week, and those without restrictions, 5.2 hours less.
Results from the study revealed that the group with restrictions showed a drop in their calorie intake, cutting out more than 300 from a usual 1,550. Members of the group also showed weight loss and a BMI drop of 0.2, from 19.2. Compared to those without restrictions, these children lost an average of 0.1 higher.
"It looks like screen time is influencing eating more than physical activity," noted professor Leonard Epstein, according to Bloomberg. "It's possible that when there is a regular pairing of eating and watching TV, just watching television becomes a cue for eating."
He also explained that watching television draws the attention away from just how much a person is consuming.
According to the Guardian, the scientists noted that limited television time also cuts down on the pressure on parents to monitor their children's indulgence in the sedentary lifestyle.
