Viewing Television While Walking

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of television viewing while walking on: 1) preference for exercise and 2) treadmill endurance time. METHODS: Twenty-five insufficiently active adults (means+SD; age: 46+12 years; body mass index: 31.2+5.3 (kg/m2) completed this study. Part 1: participants performed three randomized 1/3-mile walking bouts at an intensity equivalent to 70% of their oxygen consumption at ventilatory threshold (VO2-at-VT). During these exercise bouts, indivdiuals viewed 1) their favorite television program (FavTV), 2) a standarized nature program (NatTV) or 3) no-TV (NoTV). A behavioral choice paradigm approach was used to assess preference for exercising with each television condition. Part 2: participants compelted two randomized 60-minute visitis where they were asked to walk at 70% of VO2-at-VT for 10-minutes under FavTV or NoTV conditions. After 10 minutes, participants could choose to continue exercising under the current television condition or stop exercising and watch television while seated. Participants were allowed to switch between exercise adnr est as they desired during the remaining time. RESULTS: Part 1: in regards to preference for exercise, lower scores indicate greater preference for exercise during specified television condition. FavTV (preference score: 1.1+1.3; p<0.001) and NatTV (preference score: 1.8+1.9; p=0.002) were significantly greater than NoTV (preference score: 3.0+2.7). There was no significant difference in preference scores between FavTV and NatTV conditions (p=0.132) Part 2: despite this difference in preference for exercise there was no significant difference in treadmill walking time (FavTV vs. NoTV; 50.0+2.6 vs. 44.7+3.2 minutes, respectively; p=0.102). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides empirical evidence that inactive individuals prefer walking with television viewing versus with no television. Further research is neede to determine if active television viewing can translate to observable changes in exercise behaviors.