Limit TV to help fight obesity, says NICE

[maureenho]

Limit TV to help fight obesity, says NICE

By Helen Briggs Health editor, BBC News website
22 September 2014 Last updated at 23:55

Adults and children should consider having TV-free days or limiting viewing to no more than two hours a day under new proposals to tackle obesity.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations also include avoiding drinks with added sugar and limiting takeaways.

The draft guidance, the first on the subject since 2006, is aimed at helping people maintain a healthy weight.

Obesity rates nearly doubled over the past 10 years in England.

Prof Mike Kelly, director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE, said a healthier diet and being more physically active was important for everyone, not just those who were already overweight or obese.

"The general rule for maintaining a healthy weight is that energy intake through food and drink should not exceed energy output from daily activity," he said.

"We all know we should probably take the stairs rather than the lift, cut down on TV time, eat more healthily and drink less alcohol.

"But it can be difficult to know the most useful changes that we can make in terms of our weight."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29311464

What do you think?

[annie]

I don't think limiting TV would make much difference as couch potatoes would still sit and read or play on the computer