Preschoolers more likely to become bullies if they watch lots of TV

The more television 4-year-old children watch, the more likely they are to become bullies later on in school, a study stated yesterday. At the same time, children whose parents read to them, take them on outings and just generally pay attention to them are less likely to become bullies, said the report from the University of Washington. The study, published in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, reached its conclusions by looking at data from 1,266 4-year-olds whose bullying -- based on assessments from their mothers -- was tracked at ages 6 through 11. Overall, about 13 percent of the children turned out to be bullies. Frederick Zimmerman, who led the research, said bullying can now be added ''to the list of potential negative consequences of excessive television viewing, along with obesity, inattention and other types of aggression."

REUTERS