Excessive television viewing increases BMI, yet not a risk factor for childhood obesity or thinness: A cross sectional study on Thai school children

Background: Childhood obesity is a pandemic lifestyle disorder, a precursor of cardiovascular complication. TV viewing, one of the etiology of obesity encourages reduced activity and overeating. Objective: To demonstrate the effects of TV viewing for long period on nutritional status of school children of Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ongkharak district, Nakom Nayok province, Thailand on 1,140 school children aged 6-15 years. Baseline demographic data were measured. Children's parents were consented and quested about average TV viewing of their children. On viewing basis, the children were categorized as per AAP recommendation. Data were presented as mean, SD and percentage. Odds ratio of nutritional status was analyzed using multiple logistic regressions, and effects of factors on BMI was measured by univariate General Linear Model. Results: 577 children were boys among 1140 enrolled, with mean age of 10.0 +/- 2.1 years. Average TV viewing was 2.8 +/- 2.0 hrs/day. Girls were excessive TV viewer (2.9 +/- 2.2 hrs/day) than boys (2.6 +/- 1.7 hrs/day). TV viewing of >= 4 hrs/day was observed in older children with higher BMI (18.6) than< 2hrs/day TV viewers (17.3) p-value: <0.01. Odds ratio of being overweight/ obese in >= 2 hrs/day TV viewers compared to <2 hrs/day viewers were 1.13(95%CI = 0.78 to 1.65) and 1.32(0.86 to 2.02), respectively. In same compared groups, odds ratio of being thin were 0.96(95%CI = 0.63 to 1.45) and 1.02(0.63 to 1.65), respectively. After adjusting sex and age, TV viewing >= 2 hrs/day had higher BMI then lesser TV viewers with mean difference 0.72 kg/m(2) (p-value=0.02) Conclusion: Excessive or lesser TV viewing did not increase risk of being overweight/obese or thin in children, as result showed no significance. However, after adjusting sex and age excessive TV viewers exhibited higher BMI than lesser TV viewers.