We know that kids watch too much TV, and we know that it concerns parents. Now research shows that watching too much television does affect kids’ health.

The Scotsman reports that according to Dr. Aric Sigman watching television can have the following 15 negative effects:

1. Obesity
   Too much viewing not enough activity.
2. Healing
   Television viewing “may lead to an increase in the migration of “cutaneous immune system mast cells”, parts of body tissue that play a key role in healing wounds and offering defence against disease.”
3. Heart Trouble
   “The adult risk of raised cholesterol and the potential for heart disease is strongly linked to TV viewing habits formed in childhood and teenage years, setting up a store of problems for later life.”
4. Metabolism
   “A significant relationship was found in which the metabolic rate decreased as average weekly hours of television viewing increased. Lowered metabolism leads to a reduced ability to burn fat.”
5. Eyesight
   “Permanent eyesight damage previously attributed to genetics is now being strongly linked to television-screen exposure.”
6. Alzheimer’s
   “Television viewing between ages 20 to 60 is associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease: for each additional daily hour of television viewing, the associated risk of Alzheimer’s disease development increases. Attention, memory and reaction time may also be affected.”
7. Attention Span
   “Long periods of TV viewing may affect what are called the ‘neuronal mechanisms’ behind attention and impulse control. This means damaging brain-cell development and the person’s ability to concentrate on non-TV subjects. For children this could mean learning difficulties and attention disorders.”
8. Hormones
   “Watching television suppresses production of melatonin, a key hormone and powerful antioxidant that has important roles in the immune system, sleep/wake cycle and the onset of puberty. Melatonin regulates the body’s internal clock but bright screens may interrupt production.”
9. Cancer
   “Reduced levels of melatonin may also result in a greater chance that cell DNA will produce cancer-causing mutations.”
10. Early Puberty
    “Exposure to TV screens affects the melatonin levels of younger children, in particular at the onset of puberty.”
11. Autism
    “Early childhood television viewing may be an important factor in autism, which currently affects one in every 166 children. Television may be a trigger in young children with a tendency to the condition.”
12. Sleep
    “A significant relationship was found between exposure to television and sleeping difficulties in different age groups ranging from infants to adults.”
13. Hunger
    “The lack of sleep ascribed to the effects of watching TV may directly increase appetite and body-fat production. Research suggests it could do this through alterations in the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which regulate feelings of being full and of hunger respectively.”
14. Brain Growth
    “Even interactive media such as computer games have been associated with limited neurological activity. Watching television has been found by neuroscientists to be a “non-intellectually stimulating activity” for brain development.”
15. Diabetes
    “TV viewing is directly related to and significantly raises the risk of abnormal glucose metabolism and new Type-two diabetes. This is linked to side-effects of a sedentary lifestyle and the kind of diet that can go with heavy TV watching, such as sweets and sugary drinks.”

The British Audience Research Bureau reports that the average Briton will have spent more than 12 years of their life watching television by the age of 75.