Excessive screen time impacts teenagers’ sleep, weight, and activity levels: Study

*Researchers are particularly concerned about the overall health and wellness of several young people using multiple devices at the same time

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

How much screen time is too much for teens? Whereas several studies have explored the potential risks associated with time spent in front screens, yet researchers from the University of Leicester in a fresh study found that screen time could be impacting teenagers’ health in several important ways.

The researchers stated that teens’ excessive screen time is associated with adopting more sedentary lifestyles and getting less sleep.

The study finding also revealed that a large number of teenagers are on multiple screens at the same time, and this habit is particularly concerning when looking at overall health and wellness.

Melanie Davies, one of the researchers, said: “Sadly, this study reminds us that we are in danger of creating a new generation of sedentary children.

“Increased sedentary time is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, which is increasing in younger age groups.

“The number of young people with type 2 diabetes has gone up by 50 percent in just five years.”

In connection with excessive screen time risks for the study, the researchers analysed data from more than 800 girls between the ages of 11 and 14 who were enrolled in the National Institute for Public Health Research (NIHR) programme.

The participants wore devices on their wrists that tracked their physical activity and sleep throughout the study, and then they answered questions about their typical screen time use and general mental health.

The researchers discovered that the participants that spent the most time in front of screens had the lowest physical activity levels over the course of the study, which also correlated to higher body mass indices (BMI).

The study also showed that participants’ sleep was disrupted by screen time, particularly when they used smartphones after school.

Researcher Dr. Deirdre Harrington stated: “Intuitively, we believe there must be negative effects on teenagers of using too many screens at the same time. Our data shows it isn’t as simple as that.”

On using multiple devices at once, it is noted that the biggest takeaway from the study was that a large number of the participants reported using multiple devices at the same time, with teens using as many as four different devices simultaneously.

Nearly 70 percent of the participants reported using more than one device at the same time on the weekends, while nearly 60 percent of the participants were using multiple devices after school.

These habits also correlated with less physical activity and less sleep.

Going forward, the researchers hope that more work is done in this area, because the effects of screen time, especially when more than one device is involved, are wide-reaching.

Dr. Harrington said: “This research was done before the COVID-19 lockdown, where much more of our day is spent in front of a screen.

“More than ever the effects of this on adolescents needs to be known ─ there are positives too, no doubt.”