Children aged between 6 and 10 saw most increase in screen time during pandemic: study
June 24, 2022
- Scientists say increases observed on all age groups.
- Not only academic and professional, but leisure screen time also increased.
- Total sample size of study over 200,000 people.
A new study has concluded that children aged between six and 10 spent an hour and 23 minutes more watching phone or PC screens during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Daily Mail reported.
Scientists from the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, however, say that increases were observed in all age groups.
Not only academic and professional, but leisure screen time also increased.
The team of researchers found that the rise in screen time resulted in a negative impact on sleep, health, and diet in children and adults alike.
In the case of children, screen time was also associated with aggression and temper tantrums.
"The overall picture provides clear evidence that screen time should be reduced wherever possible to minimise potential negative outcomes," said senior author Professor Shahina Pardhan, director of the Vision and Eye Research Institute at the university.
"It is also important that non-sedentary activities are promoted to mitigate the risks of increased screen time," she added.
Scientists scrutinised 89 different studies that focused on the rise of screen time before and after the pandemic.
This made the total sample size of the study over 200,000 people.
