Television viewing and food consumption in Flemish adolescents in Belgium.

Objectives: To examine associations of television viewing with overall food consumption

Methods: A computerised 24-hour dietary recall and a questionnaire were completed by 1031 adolescents (+/- 12-14 years of age).

Results: Those who generally watched more television were more likely to consume frequently advertised items such as soft drinks and snacks. Not all frequently advertised food items (e.g. cereals) were associated with television viewing. An inverse association was found with fruit, water and milk. A negative association was found with brown bread; a positive association was found with white bread. The results indicate that high television viewing and a less nutrient dense food pattern are part of a lifestyle influenced by common underlying factors.

Conclusions: Nutrition interventions aimed at improving adolescents' food habits should target high television-viewers. Our findings underline the importance of tackling socio-demographic differences.