Having regular TV-free days can prevent you becoming overweight, the British health watchdog National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is advising.
On other days, avoid eating meals in front of the television and limit yourself to just two hours’ viewing, it says.
The advice, in guidelines issued by NICE, is similar to a campaign in the United States that has seen people encouraged to have one TV-free day a week. The 42 pages of guidelines are aimed at those who are in good health and not overweight.
They also advise sticking to low-fat milk and yoghurts, cutting meat out of meals as much as possible, and having breakfast — ideally wholegrain cereal or toast — to stop the temptation of mid-morning biscuits or a pastry. NICE says that obesity levels have risen to such an extent that men and women of a healthy weight are now in the minority.
The average adult is a stone overweight and only 30 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women could consider themselves slim.
Some have questioned why NICE has produced such detailed guidelines for the healthy when there are more pressing issues.
But Professor Mike Kelly, director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE, defended the guidelines, being emailed to doctors, councils and other groups. He said: “Obesity rates have nearly doubled over the last ten years and continue to be a huge concern. Following a healthier diet and being more physically active is important for everyone, not just if you are already overweight or obese.
“We all know we should probably take the stairs rather than the lift, cut down on TV time, eat more healthily and drink less alcohol. But it can be difficult to know the most useful changes that we can make.”
NICE says that aside from encouraging a couch potato lifestyle, watching TV makes us more inclined to eat snacks due to constant adverts for food.
Those who have dinner in front of the television tend to eat more as they are distracted from enjoying the meal so feel less satisfied.
The watchdog did not say whether families should introduce TV-free days monthly or one day a week — for example, at the weekend. But in the US some schools encourage TV-free Tuesdays — or entire weeks without TV — with the time spent doing exercise instead. Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said: “Advice is one thing: getting millions of people to do what it says on the tin is quite another.
“What should be done is that we should be educated into a healthy lifestyle at a young age.”
Dr Ian Campbell, a GP and expert in obesity, hoped more of his patients would follow the advice.
“We shouldn’t lose sight of the simple principle that prevention is better than cure,” he said.
“The advice given, though at first glance it may appear simplistic, is actually based on sound evidence.”
— Daily Mail
