Children who watch a lot of TV have less bone mass in the … – Reuters Spain

By Kathryn Doyle

(Reuters Health) – children who watch television for many hours developing less bone mass in the critical years and, therefore, are more vulnerable to osteoporosis and fractures during her life, suggests a new study <. / p>

a group of children and adolescents monitored until age 20, when the mass bone reaches its point Maximo had less bone mass at that age had passed the more hours watching television in childhood, according to published in the Journal of bone and Mineral Research.

” what we have to make clear is that watching television does not necessarily generate the link between television and health problems, but remain sitting for a long time, “said Natalie Pearson of the Faculty of Sports Science, Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Loughborough, UK, who was not involved in the new study.

the team of Joanne A. McVeigh, Curtin University in Perth, Australia, interviewed parents of more than 1,000 children in this country to know how long they spent their children in front of the TV in the week when they were 5, 8, 10, 14, 17 and 20 years, but as they grew older, the children began to inform themselves how many hours they watched television.

the authors organized the children in three groups according to patterns of television exposure over time: 20 percent saw less than 14 hours a week in childhood and adolescence (underexposed), more than 40 percent watched television 14 or more hours per week (high exposure) and 35 percent went from low to high exposure over the years.

at 20 years underwent an x-ray to determine the mineral content in bones.

After considering the height, body mass, physical activity, calcium intake values ​​of vitamin D, alcohol intake and smoking at age 20, participants with high exposure to television when they were younger had a bone mineral mass less than the average adult.

the immobilization for a prolonged period damages bone health, according to Dr. Sebastien Chastin of the Caledonia University of Glasgow, UK, who was not involved in the study.

“Sitting down to watch TV has two effects: away from physical activity and therefore have no benefits, and immobilizes us for a long time, according to studies on bedrest, triggers a physiological response amending the body’s chemical balance that keeps bones strong, “he said Chastin.

“the poor bone health can lead to osteoporosis, which affects more than 200 million women in the world,” he explained.

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