Early-life screen time reduces physical activity in later childhood
Researchers have found that children who spend more time looking at tablets or television screens as infants are likely to be less physically active as they enter school age.
The study, published in the journal The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, revealed that kids aged two to three who spend more than three hours a day viewing screens, such as tablets and televisions (TVs) grow up to be less physically active at age 5.5 years, compared to children who used screens for an hour or less each day.
The study, involving more than 500 children in Singapore, suggests that adhering to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to limit screen time to one hour per day or less among children aged two to five years may promote healthier behaviours in later life.
