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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends adults and children should consider having TV-free days.
NICE recommendations also include avoiding drinks with added sugar and limiting takeaways.
Director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE Professor Mike Kelly commented: ‘The general rule for maintaining a healthy weight is that energy intake through food and drink should not exceed energy output from daily activity.
‘We all know we should probably take the stairs rather than the lift, cut down on TV time, eat more healthily and drink less alcohol. But it can be difficult to know the most useful changes that we can make in terms of our weight.’
Therefore, the healthcare body has published a series of recommendations, not just for those who are already classed as overweight or obese, but for everyone, to ensure the problem does not get worse.
These include turning the TV off for most of the day, as sitting down and watching a screen can tempt people to snack more.
In addition, NICE recommends that people walk or cycle to school or work where possible, as this is an easy way for individuals to incorporate exercise into their day.
NICE has also published a series of recommendations for people’s diets, which include cutting down on foods that are high in calories, such as sweets, biscuits, fried products, takeaways, fast food and full-fat dairy goods.
With regard to drinks, it suggests people should stick to water and avoid sugary drinks, such as squash and fizzy beverages. As alcohol can be high in calories, NICE wants people to limit their consumption.
The organisation is recommending that people consume a diet that is somewhat Mediterranean in style, featuring fruit, vegetables, fish, olive oil, pulses and whole grains, as this is a much healthier alternative and should either help them to lose weight or to prevent them developing obesity in the first place.
Agencies/Canadajournal
