Watching TV or Exercise is benefit for you?

Motl, R.W., McAuley, E., Birnbaum, A.S., & Lytle, L.A. (2006). Naturally occurring changes in time spent watching television are inversely related to frequency of physical activity during early adolescence. Journal of Adolescence; 29: 19-32.

" A decrease in time spent watching television was associated with an increase in frequncy of leisure-time physical activity."

This is a conclusion of this interesting study conducted in 4,594 adolescent boys and girls.

This study investigated the natural effect on changing over 2 years in frequency of time spent in between two activities: watching TV and Exercise. This is related to 'Behavioural Choice Theory' providing an understanding the relationship between those two activities.

Two primary ways of environmental manipulation, for reducing adolescent behaviors and enhancing physical activity levels, are: 1) setting limits on the amount of time of watching TV, and 2) arranging time of watching TV to an appropriate portion of participating physical leisure activities.

The critical suggestion from this study and my view is 'Don't put TV in your children's bedrooms, and advise them for the benefits of physical leisure participation...Parents should be a nice modelling or coaching for them....