AS children’s exposure to media increases, they become prone to health problems particularly obesity and tobacco use. There is also evidence that children’s drug use, alcohol use, undesired sexual behavior and low academic achievement may rise with increasing media exposure. This was the conclusion of an analysis by the US National Institutes of Health, Yale University and the California Pacific Medical Center of 173 studies done since 1980. It is considered to be one of the most comprehensive assessments to date on how exposure to media sources impacts the physical health of children and adolescents. The analysis was financed in part by the advocacy group Common Sense Media.
The lives of children and adolescents are packed with media exposure. The average youngster spends nearly 45 hours per week with media, compared with 17 hours with parents and 30 hours in school. The studies, most conducted in the United States, largely focused on television, but some looked at video games, films, music, and computer and Internet use. In 80 percent of the studies, greater media exposure was associated with negative health outcomes. The researchers were concerned that there were very few studies considering the impact of new media such as the Internet and none investigating cell phone use and youth. There is also a need for more studies looking at the impact of media content rather than simply the amount of media children use.
The review was designed to compare the connections between media and seven health outcomes: obesity, tobacco use, drug use, alcohol use, low academic achievement, sexual behavior and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH). In addition to the negative health outcome with increased media exposure, 46 of the 173 studies evaluated exposure to specific media content — such as scenes with smoking. Ninety-three percent of these studies found that exposure to specific media content was associated with negative health outcomes. One study found a positive association between exposure to specific types of media content — certain types of web pages — and a positive health outcome — better school performance.
A majority of the studies, 127, dealt with the number of hours children watched, played or listened to media. Of these studies, 75 percent reported that more time spent with media was associated with a negative health outcome while 20 percent found no statistically significant association. Only seven studies reported an association between media quantity and a positive health outcome. All 73 of the studies evaluating media and weight assessed the quantity of media used rather than the content of the media. Most, 86 percent, of these studies found a statistically significant relationship between increased media exposure and an increase in childhood obesity. In addition, the studies also found that the more hours of media used, the greater chance there was of undesirable weight gain over time. A study of 5,493 children discovered that those who spent more than eight hours watching television per week at age three were significantly more likely to be obese at age seven!
Other findings of the analysis were that 48 percent of the children ages 5 to 15 who watched television more than three hours daily were found to be using tobacco as young adults. This compares with just 26 percent who watched less than one hour of television daily. Eight studies evaluated media and drug use and 75 percent reported a statistically significant relationship between media exposure and drug use. Ten studies examined media and alcohol use and eight of these reported a statistically significant association between media exposure and an increase in alcohol use. For parents hoping to raise a child who will be a high achiever in life, limiting media exposure is essential. Forty-two percent of children who watched less than one hour of television per day earned a bachelor's degree or higher by the age of 26. Just eleven percent of those children who watched television more than three hours daily had the same level of achievement.
The researchers had immediate recommendations based on their analysis. Parents need to drastically limit the amount of time children use media. Use of media should be monitored and parents need to explain to their children why too much time in front of a screen is harmful. Children need to spend more time playing real games instead of virtual ones. Sports and physical activities are an important part of physical and social development. Whether it’s kicking a football or carrying the groceries, children must be physically engaged with the world to have the best opportunity to grow up to be healthy, successful adults.