The negative impact of prolonged screen time on the health of children and young people was confirmed in a report by the Public Health Agency, the press service of the Swedish Ministry of Social Affairs reported on June 17 on the official Internet portal. .
“Screen use is one of the biggest health challenges of our time. Thanks to new research and information, we can now clearly see that the use of digital media risks having a negative impact on the health of children and young people. For too long, screens have been allowed to proliferate at the expense of other things that children and young people need to thrive, like time to sleep, move and socialize.”said the Swedish Minister of Social Affairs, Jakob Forssmed.
The report is based on current research, national surveys and focus groups with children, young people and parents. As the article points out, increasing total screen time impacts sleep and can lead to an increase in depressive symptoms.
For children ages 10 to 18, increased social media use may lead to increased body dissatisfaction. Children and young people who spend a lot of time in front of screens are more likely to be overweight or obese, and more likely to suffer from back pain or headaches.
Parents of children under five who use digital media while with their children may become less attentive to their children. For younger children, ages zero to five, prolonged screen time can lead to disrupted sleep and, to some extent, increased aggressive behavior.
The report also shows that digital media can increase symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) over time. Additionally, children and young people diagnosed with ADHD and autism have been found to be more likely to experience problems with heavy digital media use.
Collecting data on children’s exposure to digital media is the first step in meeting the Public Health Agency’s 2023 mandate. The next step will be to prepare recommendations, which are expected to be presented after the summer.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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