KEY POINTS:
Expert advice on how to stop your kids vegetating in front of the TV every day could be on the way.
Researchers at the University of Auckland's Clinical Trials Research Unit are investigating ways of reducing obesity in children and the TV has emerged as public enemy number one.
"Our children spend an average of 131 minutes per day in front of the TV set," said programme director Dr Cliona Ni Mhurchu.
"In New Zealand, almost one third of children aged five to 14 years are overweight or obese, more among Maori and Pacific children.
"We're looking at ways we can help parents reduce their children's TV time and divert them to other, healthier pastimes."
The research aims to evaluate parents' perception of their children's TV watching habits and to identify an appropriate method of TV restriction.
Dr Ni Mhurchu said there were a number of possible ways to stop children watching TV, such as tamper-proof timers which switch the set off after a given duration.
The study is looking for parents in the Auckland or Counties Manukau areas who have a child aged nine to 12 years and report difficulty reducing their television watching.
- NZPA
