Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Obesity in couch-potato kids

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta

(CNN) -- Health experts consistently warn about the weight problems plaguing America, but studies are raising new concerns about inactive children, even preschoolers.

CNN Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta discussed the issue Monday with CNN anchor Paula Zahn.

GUPTA: Brace yourself. These are going to be some startling numbers. Fifteen percent of our kids are obese, and that number has tripled over the last couple of decades. Gone are the days where kids used to play outside until dusk. Instead, kids are watching television. Lots of it.

Eighty-six percent of 1-year-olds watch television. Up to 98 percent of 2-year-olds are watching television. And the numbers have done nothing but increase, up to 20 hours a week.

Bedroom television is a particularly bad problem, with those kids watching 4.8 hours more of television, and that leads to a significant increase in overweight.

This is not just a cosmetic problem. The surgeon general has said that up to 70 percent of those kids who are overweight as kids will grow up to be overweight or obese adults. So this is not something that usually kids just grow out of unless there's some dedicated effort to making that happen, and that obesity problem also translates into all the health problems that we have been hearing so much about.

One in particular, Type II diabetes. That was previously called adult onset diabetes. Not the case anymore. A lot of kids are developing a previously adult-only problem, and all the complications of diabetes, including kidney problems, blindness, heart disease, all those sorts of problems which plague them later on in life. The most tragic part about it, Paula, I think is that this is largely a preventable problem.

ZAHN: Well, besides ripping the television set out of their kids' rooms, where else are parents supposed to start? I find that amazing that these preschool kids are watching that much on their TVs in their own bedrooms.

GUPTA: Right. And I think that, you know, there are lots of different tips out there. A lot of it is sort of common sense though. There are parenting tips; there are physical tips; there are eating tips.

From a parenting standpoint, certainly try and recognize that the kids probably already know that they're overweight. Pointing it out to them over and over again is probably not going to be a solution.

Instead, emphasize family activity and be a good role model yourself. And [from a] physical activity standpoint, plan activities for the whole family. Reduce that television. You're right, Paula. That is going to be hard. Reduce video games.

Here's a specific thing. Try and get your kid at least 60 minutes of activity four times a week.

And then, of course, eating is equally important. First of all, don't place your kid on a restrictive diet. That usually does not work. Avoid the use of food as a reward, and don't withhold it as a punishment. Lots of water and try not to let them do something that we're probably all guilty of, which is eating while watching television. I do that sometimes. Paula, I'm sure you probably do, too. Try and discourage that.

ZAHN: Worse than that in New York, we eat while we're walking down the street.

GUPTA: Right.

ZAHN: What an example we set for our children. Always on the move here.

GUPTA: Exactly.

ZAHN: Those are some very good tips, and boy, I'll tell you, it's so hard because I know so many kids, people who have adolescent girls are so concerned about sending the wrong message about going on diets. I guess you are right, the most important example is eating healthfully and not having these punitive diets.