Health experts recommend that youth get at least 60 minutes of vigorous activity daily and that they spend no more than 1 to 2 hours daily watching television, playing video games, talking or texting on cell phones, or using the computer for fun. Here are a few simple tips to help your children reduce their screen time and increase physical activity.

• Know how much screen time and active time your family is getting. By knowing how much screen time, including TV, DVD, video games, and non-school- or non-work-related computer or Internet use, your family spends and how much physical activity they get, you will be more aware of their needs for physical activity.

• Talk to your family. Explain to your children that it’s important to sit less and move more to stay at a healthy weight. They will also be more energized, have a chance to practice certain skills (such as riding a bike, shooting hoops), and have fun with friends. Tell them that you also are going to limit your screen time and increase your physical activity, so you will be working toward this goal together.

• Minimize the influence of TV in the home. Do not put a TV or computer in your child’s bedroom. This tends to physically isolate family members and decrease interaction. Also, children who have TVs in their room tend to spend almost 1½ hours more in a typical day watching TV than their peers without a set in their room.

• Make mealtime family time. Turn off the TV during the family meal. Better yet, remove the TV from the eating area if you have one there. Family meals are a good time to talk to each other. Research has shown that families who eat together tend to eat more nutritious meals than families who eat separately. Make eating together a priority, and schedule family meals at least two to three times a week.

• Set a good example. You need to be a good role model and also limit your screen time to no more than two hours a day. If your kids see you following your own rules, then they will be more likely to follow. Instead of watching TV or surfing the Internet, spend time with your family doing something fun and interactive.

• Don’t use the TV to reward or punish a child. Practices like this make TV seem even more important to children.

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