According to a new study featured on TIME , out of all the screened devices accessible to kids today such as computers, tablets, and smartphones, the boob tube is what makes them more likely to be heavier.

Researchers recruited 91 teens between 13 and 15 years old and asked them randomly asked them about their screentime habits. Each participant's height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were also taken into account.

Results showed that the teens who had the highest BMI were those who watched more than three hours of TV daily, or those who spent more time in front of the tube than in front of other screened devices.

Researchers say that this may be due to the fact that watching television leaves the hands free to open bags of snacks to munch on, unlike when interacting with other screened devices. Michael Rich, senior study author and director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston's Children's Hospital, explains further. "If you're paying attention to TV, you're not paying attention to hunger cues. Big picture, it's not how much time any screen is on. It's what screen is on, what content is on that screen, and what else is my child doing while absorbing that content," he shares.

(Photo by Julie via Flickr Creative Commons)