Study Says More Media Exposure Harms Kids’ Health

Thursday March 12, 2009

How much time does your child spend every day in front of a TV or computer screen, and what effect does it have on her health? In today’s high-tech world, where few households are without Internet access, dozens of TV channels and other forms of media, it’s a question parents should be asking themselves.

More exposure to TV, films, video games, music and the Internet is linked to an increase in obesity, alcohol/tobacco use, sexual behavior and other health problems in children, says a recent report from the National Institutes of Health and Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that works to give parents information about media. The study, entitled “Media and Child and Adolescent Health: A Systematic Review,” examined data from over 170 studies on media and health from the last 30 years. It found that the majority of these studies showed a link between greater media exposure and health problems in children and adolescents.

Of course, in a world where you’d be hard-pressed to find a 5-year-old who doesn’t know what a DVD, TV or computer is, you’d have to practically encase a child in a bubble to completely shut out media. And for parents whose kids are in early grade-school, MySpace, videochatting and texting won’t be too far around the bend.

Researchers emphasize the need for more research on how kids are affected by technology and media. They also urge parents to not only keep an eye on what their kids are exposed to, but to also place limits on the amount of time their kids use media.

How many hours does your 5 to 8-year-old spend watching TV, surfing the Net and using other media? Share some ideas for great non-electronic fun.