Mom-to-Be's TV Habits Might Affect Her Child's Weight: Study
Mom-to-Be's TV Habits Might Affect Her Child's Weight: Study
Watching during mealtime, infant feedings may set stage for childhood obesity
TUESDAY, May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- When an expectant mom regularly eats her meals in front of the TV, chances are she'll continue that habit during her baby's feedings, a new study shows.
That's a concern because infants who watch mealtime TV likely become young children who watch TV while eating. And previous research suggests that youngsters who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially during mealtime, are at risk of becoming overweight or obese, the researchers noted.
An immediate problem with mothers watching TV during feedings is that they might miss the subtle cues that indicate their baby is full, and end up overfeeding their babies, said study author Dr. Mary Jo Messito. She is an associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the New York University School of Medicine.
Past studies involving preschool and school-aged children have shown that TV viewing during meals is linked to a poorer quality diet, a decreased sensitivity to feeling full and a greater consumption of calories.
Of the women in her study who watched TV during mealtimes while pregnant, Messito said, "There was a five times more likely chance that she would be exposing her baby to TV while feeding."
That could eventually lead to mealtime TV becoming a habit. The study authors noted that other research has shown that TV habits developed in childhood tend to continue into young adulthood.
The research is scheduled to be presented Tuesday at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver. Studies presented at medical meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Messito and her colleagues studied 189 women, asking how often they watched TV at mealtimes during their third trimester and then again about how often they watched TV while feeding their 3-month-old babies. The researchers only asked about TV use. They didn't include questions on computer, tablet or smart phone use.
The women were all enrolled in the Starting Early project, a childhood obesity prevention intervention meant for low-income Hispanic families. All of the women started the study during pregnancy. The researchers followed up with the women until the children were 3.
Mom-to-Be's TV Habits May Affect Child's Weight
Watching during mealtime, infant feedings may set stage for childhood obesity
TUESDAY, May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- When an expectant mom regularly eats her meals in front of the TV, chances are she'll continue that habit during her baby's feedings, a new study shows.
That's a concern because infants who watch mealtime TV likely become young children who watch TV while eating. And previous research suggests that youngsters who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially during mealtime, are at risk of becoming overweight or obese, the researchers noted.
An immediate problem with mothers watching TV during feedings is that they might miss the subtle cues that indicate their baby is full, and end up overfeeding their babies, said study author Dr. Mary Jo Messito. She is an associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the New York University School of Medicine.
Past studies involving preschool and school-aged children have shown that TV viewing during meals is linked to a poorer quality diet, a decreased sensitivity to feeling full and a greater consumption of calories.
Of the women in her study who watched TV during mealtimes while pregnant, Messito said, "There was a five times more likely chance that she would be exposing her baby to TV while feeding."
That could eventually lead to mealtime TV becoming a habit. The study authors noted that other research has shown that TV habits developed in childhood tend to continue into young adulthood.
The research is scheduled to be presented Tuesday at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver. Studies presented at medical meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Messito and her colleagues studied 189 women, asking how often they watched TV at mealtimes during their third trimester and then again about how often they watched TV while feeding their 3-month-old babies. The researchers only asked about TV use. They didn't include questions on computer, tablet or smart phone use.
The women were all enrolled in the Starting Early project, a childhood obesity prevention intervention meant for low-income Hispanic families. All of the women started the study during pregnancy. The researchers followed up with the women until the children were 3.