Less TV screen time doesn't mean kids will exercise more

ATLANTA, April 20 (UPI) -- Even if children meet the amount of time in front of TVs or computers recommended by pediatricians, they may not exercise more, U.S. researchers say.

Tala Fakhouri, epidemic intelligence service officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at national survey data involving elementary school kids.

The study found only 2-in-5 children met both screen time and physical activity recommendations. Fakhouri says 70 percent got at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, and 54 percent spent no more than 2 hours a day before a screen, as recommended.

"This means that less TV does not necessarily predict more physical activity," Fakhouri said.

The study was published in the journal Journal of the American Medication Association's Pediatrics.