How Modern Day/ Electronic Media such as TV, Video Games, Computers Causes Obesity?

By

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the study1

Children and Entertainment Media5

Adolescents Television Viewing and Diet6

Unit of analysis7

Research aims and objectives7

Aims7

Objectives7

Research Questions8

Research justification8

Dissertation Layout8

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW10

Childhood and Adolescent Obesity10

Sedentary Behaviors11

Measurement of Sedentary Behaviors12

Trends in Sedentary Behaviors by Age14

Television and Obesity14

Adults, Television Viewing and Diet17

Adults, Television Viewing and Physical Activity18

Adults and Computer Use18

REFERENCES20

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This chapter will provide the overview of the study. This part will be divided into background, the research problem, the aims and objectives, and its significance. It will enable the reader to understand initially what it purports to find out and address.

Background of the study

Cardiovascular diseases are disorders of heart and blood circulation related to atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, stroke, dislipidemia, hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome (MS), and diabetes (Eid, 2000, 74). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease and stroke contribute more than 40% of total death in the United Kingdom (UK) (Dine, Gartside, Glueck, Rheinesh, Greene, Khoury, 2009, 1 ). The CDC also estimates that heart disease and stroke cost about 394 billion dollars for health care expense and loss from death and disability in the UK in 2005 (Barbour, 2011, 45). Many authors have suggested that cardiovascular disease risk could be reduced with early prevention program (Agras, Hammer, McNicholas, Kraemer, 2004, 20 ). The importance of early prevention for cardiovascular risk factors is strengthened by the fact that atherosclerotic change, which is a main cause of coronary heart disease, begins very early life period (Fleiss, Williams, Dubro, 2006, 145 ).

According to the health survey of England, the boys whose ages are in between 2 to 15 years are more over weight than the girls from 1995 to 2002 (Ainsworth, Haskell, Whitt, Irwin, Swartz, Strath, 2000, 498 ). The number of child obesity is increasing with every passing year. This is because of video games and different electronic medium of entertainment in which girls' and boys' physical activities are lessen up and they prefer to get entertain without moving or doing any physical activity (Dietz, 2004, 955). Children sit in front of the television or computer too long. Kids who sit in front of the television longer are more likely to consume sugary drinks and extra calories (Dine, Gartside, Glueck, Rheinesh, Greene, Khoury, 2009, 1). We don't eat breakfast and get little or no physical education in schools. On the whole, kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. Fitness experts contend that the physical design (such as having to take a vehicle instead of walking or bicycling) of our communities contributes significantly to the decline in our health (Barbour, 2011, 45). The connections between sprawl and obesity commonly pepper much of the research on the subject. The expansion of roadways, expressways, and interstate highways come at the expense of pedestrian friendly traffic calming, bike paths, and walking trails in order to make the children walk in UK (Agras, ...