Young children that watch a lot of television are more likely to be overweight by the time they are in the final year of primary school, according to a new report.

Research carried out by scientists at the University of Montreal and Saint-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital found a link between each hour of TV watched and waist circumference.

The study also suggested two to four-year-olds who spend large periods of time watching programmes are more likely to perform badly in sports.

Senior author of the report Dr Linda Pagani said: "We found ... that each weekly hour of TV at 29 months of age corresponds to a decrease of about a third of a centimetre in the distance a child is able to jump."

It was found that a child who watches 18 hours of TV per week at 4.5 years of age will have an extra 7.6 millimetres of waist by age ten compared with those that watch less.

Written by Donal Walsh

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