Kids Spend At Least Three Hours a Day Glued to TVs and Computers

In the United States, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, and the percentage of children who are extremely obese is rising. Sedentary activity, such as watching TV, is just one of the factors contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic, but it certainly plays a big role.

And American children aren't the only ones glued to the screen. Nearly one third of children worldwide spend at least three hours a day glued to their TVs and computers and are not getting adequate physical activity, according to a study from the Journal of Pediatrics.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children get one hour of exercise per day and are allowed only two hours of screen time whether using TVs, computers or video games.

At least 155 million school-aged children around the world are overweight or obese, according to the International Obesity TaskForce. Children who are obese between the ages of 10 and 13 have an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.

The verdict is out as to how obesity affects children's lifespans, but many fear that this is the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents, said Dr. Amy Porter, who leads the Pediatric Weight Management Initiative for Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region.

Obese children, who once only worried about being teased by school-yard bullies, are now facing chronic diseases like liver disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. With each disease comes more doctor's visits, more medications and more long-term problems.

Quality of life is deteriorating rapidly for children, too. Obese kids rate their quality of life at the same level as those of child cancer patients, according to Dr. Sandra G. Hassink, the director of the Pediatric Weight Management Clinic at Nemours Children's Clinic-Wilmington.

"These children are wonderful children," Porter said. "They're funny, smart and can grow up to do anything they want or be anything they want. They can be doctors, lawyers or reporters -- the one thing that they cannot be is healthy."

Although there are growing concerns about how to end the obesity epidemic, there's no reason that children can't become healthier today.

"It's never too late to start making healthy choices," Porter said. "Anything that you do can make a difference, especially when you incorporate one healthy habit and keep building."

In February, First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled her Let's Move! partnership bringing together schools, parents, businesses and nonprofits to battle the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. Do you have a question for Michelle about her plan? You can ask her on Tuesday, July 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern time during her first-ever live web chat right here on AOL Health. The first lady will be discussing the newly enhanced Let's Move! website and answering your questions live! To submit a question, send an email to askmichelleobama@aol.com (please include your name and town) between now until Monday, July 12th at 10:00 a.m.