Background:
The relationship between early childhood television viewing and physical fitness in schoolage children has not been extensively studied using objective outcome measures.
Methods:
Using a sample of 1314 children from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development,we examine the association between parental reports of weekly hours of television viewing,assessed at 29 and 53 months of age, and direct measures of second grade muscular fitnessusing performances on the standing long jump test (SLJ) and fourth grade waistcircumference.
Results:
Controlling for many potentially confounding child and family variables, each hour per weekof television watched at 29 months corresponded to a .361 cm decrease in SLJ, 95% CIbetween -.576 and -.145. A one hour increase in average weekly television exposure from 29 to 53 months was associated with a further .285 cm reduction in SLJ test performance, 95%CI between -.436 and -.134 cm and corresponded to a .047 cm increase in waistlinecircumference, 95% CI between .001 and .094 cm.InterpretationWatching television excessively in early childhood, may eventually compromise muscularfitness and waist circumference in children as they approach pubertal age.