Parents ignoring screen time recommendations, study shows

Australian parents are ignoring recommended limits on devices, risking the future health of their children. Here’s how much screen time your kids should really have — and what happens if they have more.

Worrying new data has shown that Australian children are having too much screen time. Picture: stock photo

Parents are risking the future health of their children by ignoring screen time recommendations, a study of Australian parenting techniques has found.

Although Department of Health guidelines state children under 2 should not have any screen time, new research shows Australia’s babies and toddlers are exposed to an average 50 minutes of screen time on weekdays and 58 minutes of weekends.

And while those aged 2-5 are supposed to be limited to one hour a day, the study of more than 3000 mothers shows their young children clock up more than 90 minutes on weekdays and 105 minutes on weekends.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Leigh Tooth from the University of Queensland warned excessive screen time among children of all ages reduces their active play time and had implications for their health.

“The rapid uptake of screens by children before their third birthday is of particular concern because greater screen time increases the risk of poorer developmental outcomes,” the researchers found.

Experts are warning Australian parents to limit their children’s screen time.

“Excessive screen time on weekends among children of all ages reduces their active play time, with implications for their health.

“The potential harms of screen use for very young children should be investigated, as should strategies for helping parents manage the screen time of their children from early infancy onwards.”.

The latest findings come three months after one of the world’s leading experts, neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield, warned Australian doctors that d igital technology was causing changes to children’s brains and leaving them “virtually autistic”.

Publishing their results of their study in Monday’s Medical Journal of Australia, the University of Queensland team found two thirds of one-year-olds are using screens against health recommendations.

Almost three quarters of four-year-olds also spent too much time in front of screens — including televisions, computers, tablets, mobile phones, and electronic games — according to data collected under the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.

Almost three-quarters of four-year-olds are spending too long in front of screens. Picture: iStock

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The researchers found the situation improved between the ages of 5 and 12, when screen time is recommended not to exceed two hours a day, because children are busy attending kinder and school.

Assoc Prof Tooth said information provided by the 3063 mothers taking part in the study indicated a range of factors leading to excessive screen time, including mother frequently having free time when their children were infants.

Mothers returning to full-time work and the introduction of other siblings also impacted on screen time as children aged.

“The potential harms of screen use for very young children should be investigated, as should strategies for helping parents manage the screen time of their children from early infancy onwards,” the researchers found.

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Originally published as Parents ignoring screen time recommendations, study shows