Research Links High Screen Time To Kids's Poor State Of Health

Aug 14, 2018 by apost team

If you don’t limit screen time in your house with your children, you might want to rethink your rules. Although many studies have been done on the impacts of screens and the rate at which children are using them, a new release from the American Heart Association is making claims that most parents should be aware of in order to raise happy, healthy and high-functioning children.

The research is linking time spent on device screens, such as computers, tablets, gaming consoles, and television, to higher rates of inactivity in young children as well as teenagers. This type of inactivity eventually leads to ineffective cardiovascular health and obesity for the kids, along with an abundance of other health complications.

Author of this study, Tracie Barnett, Ph.D., maintains these claims by stating that although the time children spend watching television has gone up, their overall screen time has skyrocketed thanks to things like tablets, smartphones, and video games. She states that “Even though we have new screen-based recreational devices now, we are just as sedentary.”

The study finds that children who are aged from kindergarten through 12th grade are sitting down for an average time of 8 hours each day. Teens have the highest rate of screen time thanks to their love for social media and other services. When older generations were growing up, they never had to deal with this situation, because the technology wasn’t around to keep them indoors and they were much more active during their recreational time. How can we change this?

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Parents should start healthy habits in their children that don’t include screens from an early age. It’s harder to get an older child to stop using these devices, but if we limit the time they can use these devices from childhood, the outcome is more successful. It’s important to encourage activities that take place outdoors and promote social interaction between children. Regulating the time they can spend on on-screen devices is especially important. Placing limits is a positive lesson to teach your child.

The study also warns that children under 2 should have absolutely no screen time, while those under 6 should not receive more than 1 hour of screen time a day. As the child ages over 6, they shouldn’t have more than 2 hours of this time, because staying active and playing with traditional toys or methods is better for their health.

Although many doctors warn against the dangers of too much screen time, the long-term effects on children who improperly use screen-based media usage have not been decided. Technology is advancing at a pace that research cannot keep up with. Although it can be challenging and difficult to get children away from the appealing screens, reinforcing methods of becoming active is advised by many doctors.

Other doctors have begun linking screen time to overall cardiovascular health and even obesity. There’s a popular theory that screen time can influence a child’s behaviors when it comes to eating. Children could eat more while using a device because they don’t notice they are full, and using these screens too much can also impact their sleep patterns negatively.

Technology, although widespread, is not too popular to control. It’s important to set boundaries for your children in order to better their health. If screen time is not limited, your child can become antisocial with the outside world, leading to poor cardiovascular health, disrupted sleep patterns that are poor for their health, and perhaps even obesity. Promoting healthy habits is part of parenting that we must accept, and limiting screen time is an important piece of your child’s health and safety.

Let us know if your children are allowed to use screen devices at home and if their screen time is limited. Inform your friends about the importance of limited screen time by showing them this article!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!