Time spent viewing television or movies or playing video games is time spent not exercising. Countless food commercials aimed at children promote unhealthy foods and don't give children the full picture about a well-balanced diet. Television programs and movies glamorize alcohol use, smoking, and drug use and portray these actions as risk-free. Children must be taught the potential dangers of these behaviors. Sexual activity is commonplace on television and in the movies, sending the message that everybody does it, and without consequences.
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What Physicians Can Do The Minnesota Medical Association is working with several organizations to raise public awareness of media violence and its effects on children and adolescents. The MMA has developed guidelines on media violence, posters, and brochures with tips on media violence prevention for parents. You can help stop the media violence by talking to your young patients and their parents. Discuss violence and the media's role in fostering it as a part of your young patient and parent screening process. Ask parents if they are limiting the amount of time their children are watching television and playing video games.