Researchers at a Montreal-based university recently found that each hour of television a child watches directly contributes to their waist size and ability to participate in sporting activities. As the first study of its kind, the report shows how detrimental idleness can be at a young age.

For the study, scientists looked at a sample group of about 1,300 children in Quebec and found that among those who watched the most television per week, waist sizes were at least 7.6 millimeters wider than those who watched less television. About 15 percent of the participating children watched more than 18 hours of television every week.

Pediatric nurses who are treating overweight children should advise parents about proper eating habits and consistent exercise regimens to thwart obesity, which currently affects more than 15 percent of Americans.

"Across the occidental world, there have been dramatic increases in unhealthy weight for both children and adults in recent decades," said Linda Pagani, senior author of the report. "Watching more television not only displaces other forms of educational and active leisurely pursuits, but also places the mat risk of learning inaccurate information about proper eating."