Kids Are Healthier When Parents Limit Their Screen Time

We all know that kids spend a heck of a lot of time in front of various screens throughout the day. What we may not know, however, is actually how much time they’re really spending in front of those screens. According to a fairly large study conducted by the University of Iowa, they discovered that kids from ages 8 to 10 (4th/5th graders) spend an average of 7 hours a day in front of different forms of media. Wow – those kind of hours almost quality as full-time work status. If only we all got paid for the amount of time we spend in front of the TV or on our smartphones.

I knew kids were involved with technology from a young age, but I had no idea they spend that much time using it. The University of Iowa studied approximately 1300 4th and 5th graders over a 7 month period where their parents actually monitored how much time they spend in front of screens. The results, while surprising, aren’t too hard to believe in the grand scheme of things.

At the end of the study, it was discovered that kids whose parents kept an eye on how long they were using different devices slept better, behaved better in school, performed better academically, and had far fewer risks of obesity than kids whose media time ran unchecked.

In case you’re wondering how much media time is recommended for children, the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses that kids under the age of 2 shouldn’t see any screen time, while other kids should have a 2 hour limit per day. They also stress that parents need to have a media plan in place for all of their children to avoid any negative media effects, such as exposure to violence, etc.

Do the results of this study surprise you at all?

[Image via iageode]

SOURCE: http://www.cnet.com/news/when-parents-limit-screen-time-kids-behave-sleep-and-test-better/