In today’s society school age children are at risk from excessive screen time. Here are some interesting but alarming facts gathered by an American organisation; Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood. 

Research shows the negative impact of time spend by young people in front of the “box”.

  1. Including multitasking, children ages 8 to18 years old spend an average of 4 ½ hours per day watching television, 1 ½ hours using computers, and more than an hour playing video games. [16]
  2. Reducing screen time can help prevent childhood obesity. [26]
  3. Children who spend less time watching television in early years tend to do better in school, have a healthier diet, be more physically active, and are better able to engage in school work in later elementary school. [9]
  4. Television viewing at a young age is associated with later behavioural problems, but not if heavy viewing is discontinued before age 6. [27]
  5. Limiting exposure to television during the first 4 years of life may decrease children’s interest in it in later years. [4]
  6. Children with 2 or more hours of daily screen time are more likely to have increased psychological difficulties, including hyperactivity, emotional and conduct problems, as well as difficulties with peers. [20]
  7. Adolescents who watch 3 or more hours of television daily are at especially high risk for poor homework completion, negative attitudes toward school, poor grades, and long-term academic failure. [21]
  8. Adolescents with a television in their bedroom spend more time watching TV and report less physical activity, less healthy dietary habits, worse school performance, and fewer family meals. [22]

References:
 [4] Christakis, D., Zimmerman, F. (2006). Early television viewing is associated with protesting turning off the television at age 6. Medscape General Medicine, 8(2), 63.
[9] Pagani, L., Fitzpatrick,C., Barnett, T. A., & Dubow, E. (2010). Prospective associations between early childhood television exposure and academic, psychosocial, and physical well-being by middle childhood. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 164(5), 425-431.
[16] Rideout, V. J., Foehr, U. G., Roberts, D. F. (2010). Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds. Kaiser Family Foundation.
[20] Page, A.S., Cooper, A.R., Griew, P., Jago, R. (2010). Children’s screen viewing is related to psychological difficulties irrespective of physical activity. Pediatrics. 126(5), 1011-1017.
 [21] Johnson, J., Brook, J., Cohen, P., Kasen, S. (2007). Extensive television viewing and the development of attention and learning difficulties during adolescence. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 161(5), 480-486.
[22] Barr-Anderson, D.J., van den Berg, P., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M. (2008). Characteristics associated with older adolescents who have a television in their bedrooms. Pediatrics, 121(4), 718-724.
 [26] Epstein LH, Roemmich JN, Robinson JL, Paluch RA, Winiewicz DD, Fuerch JH, Robinson TN. (2008). A randomized trial of the effects of reducing television viewing and computer use on body mass index in young children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 162(3):239-45.
[27] Mistry KB, Minkovitz CS, Strobino, DM, Borzekowski, DLG. (2007). Children’s television exposure and behavioral and social outcomes at 5.5 years: Does timing of exposure matter? Pediatrics, 120, 762-769.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.