Associations between children's diet quality and watching television during meal or snack consumption: A systematic review

• Published in: Maternal and child nutrition 2017-10, Vol.13 (4), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Avery, Amanda, Anderson, Catherine, McCullough, Fiona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beverages; Body Mass Index; Caffeine - administration & dosage; Child; Child Behavior; child public health; childhood diet; childhood obesity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Dietary Carbohydrates - administration & dosage; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Exercise; family influences; Feeding Behavior; food consumption; Fruit; Health Behavior; Humans; Meals; Micronutrients - administration & dosage; Nutritive Sweeteners - administration & dosage; Pediatric Obesity - epidemiology; Prevalence; Review; Risk Factors; Sedentary Behavior; Snacks; Socioeconomic Factors; systematic review; Television; Vegetables; Whole Grains
• ISSN: 1740-8695; 1740-8709
• DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12428

Studies have identified an association between watching television (TV) and childhood obesity. This review adds context to existing research by examining the associations between TV viewing, whilst eating, and children's diet quality. Web of Science and PubMed databases were searched from January 2000 to June 2014. Cross‐sectional trials of case control or cohort studies, which included baseline data, measuring the associations between eating whilst watching TV and children's food and drink intake. Quality of selected papers was assessed. Thirteen studies, representing 61,674 children aged 1–18 yrs, met inclusion criteria. Of six studies reporting overall food habits, all found a positive association between TV viewing and consumption of pizza, fried foods, sweets, and snacks. Of eight studies looking at fruit and vegetable consumption, seven identified a negative association with eating whilst watching TV (p