For Diabetic Kids, TV is No Help

Filed in archive Family Matters , Lifestyle , Research on May 27, 2007

Even to kids without diabetes, spending more time in front of the TV makes them sedentary, increasing their risk of becoming obese.

How much more if your child has type 1 diabetes? More TV time will do no good in controlling their blood sugar levels.

As confirmed by a Norwegian study:

...diabetic children who spend a great deal of time watching television had a tougher time controlling their blood sugar.

... encouraging children with Type-1 diabetes to watch less television may play an crucial role for improving blood sugar control and better health overall.

Kids should really have more active time and even adults too for that matter. But I understand how difficult this is to accomplish sometimes, especially when TV time is the easiest "baby-sitter' to young kids in this day and age of computers and play stations.

However, as parents we should encourage our kids to have a more active lifestyle, with or without diabetes.