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Frederick Zimmerman is Associate Professor, Health Services and Associate Professor, Pediatrics at the University of Washington, in Seattle, Washington. He can be reached at Box 354920 University of Washington, Child Health Institute Seattle, WA  98195–4920. In this interview, he discusses his most recent research on the effects of early television viewing on children's mental health and development.

1) You have just had some major research published in a major journal. What did you investigate and what did you find?

We had some generous funding from the Tamaki Foundation  to examine how much television viewing happens before age 2.  We were able to survey over 1,000 parents of children ages 2 to 24 months, and found that already by age 3 months, 40% of children are regular viewers of TV or videos.  By 24 months, the proportion rises to 90%.

I don't blame parents for what's going on.  Parents are getting some mixed messages about the effects of early television viewing.  On the one hand, they're getting the message loud and clear from marketers that early television and viewing can be good for development.  On the other hand, they're not hearing as loudly from the academic community about the evidence that suggests it may be harmful.

2) What do you see as the major detrimental effects of excessive television watching?

There is some suggestive research that finds an association of early television viewing with subsequent problems of attention control, of aggressive behavior problems, and of slower development of reading and math.  This kind of research is what has led the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend no television viewing before age 2.

3) Do you think that all this TV watching contributes to obesity? Laziness perhaps?

Obesity, yes, laziness, no.  There is no evidence that watching TV is associated with reduced activity levels.  In fact, a lot of older children who watch a lot of TV do so because they are watching  sports.  They watch sports because they like to play sports, so in that sense, TV and physical activity can actually go together. 

But the thing to watch out for if you're worried about obesity is the food advertisements.  Again, we're talking about older children, but preschoolers see a lot of ads for food--and not very healthy food, either.

4) In your mind, how does all this TV. watching affect the development of young infants? Children?

The answers to that question depend on the individual child and the home environment.  Many children who watch a lot of TV while young develop developmental problems later on, with delayed reading and math skills, with hyperactivity, with aggressive behavior, with sleep problems.  Not all children develop all problems, and some develop none. But overall, it is a concern. In our book (The Elephant in the Living Room: Make TV Work for your Kids), we discuss how parents can make their children's television experience more beneficial.  Television doesn't have to be all bad, but it does have to be carefully thought out.  For the youngest children, the trick is to keep it to a minimum.  Don't buy in to the pie-in-the-sky promises of marketers of baby videos or baby TV shows.  The research isn't there.  Instead we recommend that parents take some time to examine both sides of the debate.  After all, over the course of a childhood, children will spend more time watching television than they do in school, so it makes sense for parents to choose their children's television viewing with as much care and information as they devote to choosing their children's schools.

5) In your opinion, how do all these video games affect the physical development of young children?

I'm not sure there's been enough research yet on video games and physical development.  

6) Don't you think it important for kids to go out, climb trees, sit in the grass, play in the leaves and look at the clouds?

I've noticed with my own children that going outside immediately improves their mood and behavior-- even when it's chilly or rainy, as it often is in Seattle.  I don't know if there's been formal research on the developmental impact of outside time, but I do believe from my own experience as a parent that outside time is essential.

7) Are there any beneficial TV. shows? For example, Mr. Rogers?

For children age 3 and older there is a rich abundance of wonderful shows.  Not only Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street, both of which are great, but also Blue's Clue's, Dora the Explorer, Travels with Buster, and many others for older kids.  One of my personal favorites for preschoolers is Peep in the Big Wide World.  Many of these shows, including Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, have been formally studied using careful research methods, and they have been shown to have beneficial impacts on children's learning, behavior, and development.

8) I have often thought that we are doing young kids a disservice by having them watch Bert and Ernie and Cookie Monster, thinking that perhaps these kids thought that school was going to be like a TV. show. Any thoughts?

I think the key is moderation.  Studies have shown that kids who watch Sesame Street are actually more ready to start school than kids who did not watch Sesame Street.  They not only know their letters and numbers, but also--and perhaps even more importantly--viewers of Sesame Street are more likely than similar non-viewers to have positive attitudes toward school and to be excited about learning.  Of course, if a child is watching TV for 4 hours a day, even if it's educational shows, then that is probably enough to seriously displace other kinds of fun and appropriate activities.  And if it's non-educational shows then that's definitely a bad thing.  But half an hour to an hour a day of high-quality educational shows a day is probably a net positive for most children.

9) What question have I neglected to ask about your research?

That's about it!

Published May 9, 2007