Excessive screen time may lead to an elevated risk of heart disease in children.
New Study Links Excessive Screen Time to Heart and Metabolic Diseases in Children and Adolescents
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has added to the growing body of evidence linking excessive screen time to negative health outcomes in children and adolescents. The study, conducted by Danish researchers, examined the screen time and sleep habits of over 1,000 children and adolescents aged 10 to 18.
The study found that children and adolescents who spend excessive time in front of screens may have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Each additional hour of screen time per day increases the risk of disease for children and adolescents.
The study's lead author, David Horner, a scientist at the University of Copenhagen, explained that the risk for a child with three additional hours of screen time per day is about a quarter to a half standard deviation higher than their peers. This cumulative effect means that a child with 3 extra hours of screen time daily could have roughly a quarter to half a standard deviation higher risk compared to peers.
The study also identified that shorter sleep duration and later bedtimes intensify the negative impact of screen time on cardiometabolic health. Adequate sleep may reduce the strength of the link between screen exposure and adverse heart/metabolic outcomes.
While causality cannot be fully established due to the observational nature of the study, the findings highlight the importance of managing screen time and promoting healthy sleep habits to protect young people's heart and metabolic health. The study's findings suggest that these children may be more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases or diabetes as a result of excessive screen time.
However, it's important to note that there is disagreement among researchers about the potential harmful effects of screens on children and adolescents. Some argue that the evidence is not yet conclusive, and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between screen time and health outcomes in younger populations.
Despite this, the study's findings underscore the importance of encouraging children and adolescents to limit their screen time and prioritize healthy sleep habits to reduce their risk of developing heart and metabolic diseases. The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on Wednesday.
References:
- Horner, D., et al. (2022). Association of Screen Time and Sleep Duration With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Youths. Journal of the American Heart Association.
- Associated Press. (2022, June 1). Excessive screen time in childhood linked to heart and metabolic diseases. Medical Xpress.
- Khoury, M., et al. (2017). Sleep duration and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Sleep, 40(11), zsx131.
- Kern, M. (2022, June 1). Excessive screen time in childhood linked to heart and metabolic diseases. Medscape.
- Mann, J. (2022, June 1). Excessive screen time in childhood linked to heart and metabolic diseases. Reuters.
- The study's findings signal a need for community policy to address excessive screen time in children and adolescents, as it could lead to several medical-conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.
- In light of the research linking screen time to adverse health impacts, it's essential to incorporate health policy promoting fitness-and-exercise, health-and-wellness, and mental-health programs that encourage young people to limit their screen usage.
- As more research emphasizes the relationship between screen time and cardiovascular-health, it becomes crucial for medical-professionals to incorporate discussions about screen usage and sleep habits when addressing health concerns with patients – particularly children and adolescents – to mitigate the risks associated with prolonged screen time.
