Turnoff Week is an ideal time to turn off the TV and video games, and to take advantage of some of the great opportunities for physical activity and family time that are available in your community. Experts believe that excessive screen time can have negative effects on children and teens, including an increase in obesity. For information on the effects of too much screen time and the importance of play and physical activity, check out the links below.
AAP policy statement on "Children, Adolescents and Television"
AAP clinical report on "The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds
News brief on a study in the current issue of Pediatrics, "Characteristics Associated With Older Adolescents Who Have a Television in Their Bedrooms"
Information on AAP's "Media Matters" campaign
AAP is a partner in the We Can! Program of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. For tips about limiting screen time and increasing physical activity, see the Turnoff Week news release from the We Can! Program
April 21 article in the Los Angeles Times about children, screen time and physical activity
