Research

• The amount of time spent playing video games by Canadian children is among the highest in the world. (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children, Research Unit in Health and Behavioural Change, 2000)
• Two-thirds of Canadian school-aged children are not active enough for optimal growth and development, and they become more inactive as they get older (The Progress of Canadian Children 2001, Canadian Council on Social Development
• Excessive screen time is unhealthy for growing minds, bodies and our families.  It provides numerous models of violent and aggressive behaviour, and reduces children's interaction with real people.  It undermines children's empathy and suggests anger is an acceptable behaviour. (Dr. Frederic Zimmerman, TV-Turnoff Network Statement, 2005)
• The chance of becoming obese rises by 2% for every hour children spend watching television. (Tremblay & Willms, 2003)