| The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between television viewing and diet quality, physical activity and prevalence of overweight in adolescents 12–16 year olds participating in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Data for 2003 adolescents were available for analysis. Subjects were categorized into groups based on the reported number of hours of television viewing per 24 hours: 0 to 1 hour, 2 to 3 hours, and 4 or more hours. Diet quality measures included mean kilocalorie and nutrient intakes. There were no differences in the diet quality measures studied. However, the group that viewed 4 or more hours had higher mean intakes of sodium and lower mean intakes of calcium, folacin, and fiber. All groups appeared to be consuming above the recommendations for total fat, saturated fat, kilocalories, and protein. There were no significant differences in the physical activity level, team sport participation, or body mass index (BMI) of the groups, and race was the only sociodemographic variable of significance. |
