Children who regularly exercise and limit their time in front of the TV and computer are much less likely to be overweight than their peers, a new study suggests.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children devote no more than two hours per day to watching TV and playing video games.

Experts also encourage children to exercise regularly; some groups recommend that boys move enough to take 13,000 steps each day, while girls should strive for 11,000. Another common recommendation is for children and teenagers to get at least one hour of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week.

They found that among 709 7- to 12-year-olds, those who did not meet either recommendation were three to four times more likely to be overweight than their peers who met both guidelines.

The researchers found that among boys who met the recommendations on exercise and screen time, 10 percent were overweight. Among girls meeting both recommendations, 20 percent were overweight. That compared with 35 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls who met neither recommendation.

Unfortunately, the investigators found, only a minority of children in their study were meeting experts’ recommendations. About 44 percent were getting enough exercise, while just 31 percent were limiting their screen time to less than two hours per day.