DePaul University’s Center for Community Research, headed by Leonard Jason, professor of psychology, will begin a study over the summer aimed at reducing the rate of obesity among children by reducing the amount of television they watch.

Jason is the co-author of the 1997 book, “Remote Control: A Sensible Approach to Kids, TV, and the New Electronic Media” (Professional Research Press). He has spent more than 20 years developing technologies to help parents control their children’s television watching.

Recent obesity studies show that the rate of overweight children in the United States has doubled since 1980. Fifteen percent of the general population, between the ages of six and 19 years of age, are overweight and 30 percent are at risk of being overweight. Among African-American and Mexican-American, 40 percent are obese or at risk of becoming obese. It is this population that Jason said he plans to target in his study, and he is looking for participants with elementary school aged children in grades three through five.

“American children spend an average of six and a half hours each day using various forms of media,” said Jason. “Although research found a link between the amount of time children spend watching TV and their body weight, interventions that reduced children’s media time have also resulted in weight loss.”

Jason conducted a previous series of behavioral modification studies whereby a child earns a token that can be inserted into a device for viewing time. “Inserting a token into a specified device allows a child to watch either 30 minutes of television, videotapes, or to play video games,” explained Jason. The pilot study aimed at reducing obesity in children will use the same model—installing a token-operated, TV control device in the homes of participating families—in order to assess the effectiveness of helping parents re-structure the socialization activities of children who are at risk of being overweight.

The new study is designed to train parents and children to adopt new behaviors relative to television viewing. According to Jason, participants will learn to divert children’s attention to other activities such as reading, physical exercises and interactive games with the entire family. Parents who agree to participate in the research study should be prepared to implement the program for 16 weeks. They will be required to draw up a contract at the beginning of each week outlining the ways in which children can earn tokens for electronic viewing. Children who have unspent tokens at the end of the week are entitled to additional privileges.

“Clearly parents need to play a more active role in structuring activities and monitoring their children’s use of electronic entertainment devices,” said Jason. “We are hoping to offer a practical, pain-free method for them to do so, and to reduce the risk of obesity at the same time.”

For more information about the TV control device or to find out how your family may be able to participate in the research project, contact Leonard Jason at 773/325-2018.