Study: Excessive TV Watching Can Stunt Bone Growth In Kids

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – We often hear that long periods in front of the television can be bad for kids, but a new study says it could have a negative effect on their bones as well.

The Australian study found that long periods of time in front on the television could be as bad for kids as total bed rest.

The study was posted in the Journal of Bone and Mineral research.

It included more than 1,000 young men and women who had watched 14 or more hours of television each week as children.

Scans showed that the children who watched the most TV had less bone mineral content than those that didn't.

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Researchers say the bone mineral content for males who watched little TV was on average 227 grams more than the average 3111 grams found in males who had watched more than 14-hours of television during peak growing stages.

The average for girls was less dramatic.