Growing Screen Time: The Impact on Kids' Health, Especially in Germany 🔥
The impact of extended screen time on children's development and wellbeing - The Rising Impact of Extended Screen Time on Children's Development
Hey there! Today, we're diving into the world of screens and how it's affecting kids' health, with a special focus on Germany.
As children get their hands on screens at an early age, their screen time skyrockets. For instance, according to the OECD, 15-year-olds in Germany already spend almost 7 hours a day on screens for entertainment! That's a whopping 48 hours a week. In France, seven- to twelve-year-olds even exceed the two-hour daily limit, spending over two hours in front of screens.
But Germany leads the pack: Almost three-quarters of 15-year-olds spend more than two hours a day on screens. Only in four countries surveyed did values exceed these figures, including Poland and Estonia. The Federal Center for Health Education recommends that teenagers keep their screen time to a maximum of two hours a day. The message is clear: Less screen time is better.
*💡 Screen time doesn't just affect physical health. Excessive exposure can cause obesity, insulin resistance, and sleep problems, exacerbating mood problems and poor self-image. Delayed language development, attentional, and social-emotional issues can also arise.
Screen time took a major leap during the pandemic when activities like football training and dance courses were canceled, pushing more and more action online. Although media usage has decreased somewhat since then, the long-term trend remains.
But research still struggles to clearly establish a causal link between excessive screen time and mental health problems, although it's clear that negative effects can occur. This includes depression, anxiety, and loneliness, with girls often being more impacted. The danger lies in excessive use, cyberbullying, and exposure to inappropriate content.
*💡 The OECD warns about the potential impact of excessive screen time on children's brains. Toddlers need stimuli like touch, smell, and taste to understand the world, and those can't be replicated by screens, no matter how intelligent they are. For older children and young people, too much screen time can impair their ability to focus.
However, not all screen time is harmful. Educational apps and e-books can support learning, particularly for girls and more affluent youth.
Screen time can't just be turned off, says Kai Hanke, CEO of the German Children's Aid Organization. "The digital world brings immense potential for children," he explains. Parents, schools, media, and legislators must create the conditions for children to utilize this potential safely. This includes clear guidelines for safe digital content, binding advertising restrictions, and greater educational resources about risks.
*💡Many people in Germany are setting themselves the goal of spending less time on their phones. However, the long-term trend shows that excessive screen time may continue to be a significant issue for kids' health.
Want to read more about this issue? Check out the OECD's overview study, which evaluates several surveys, including the latest PISA study from 2022, across 38 member countries like Germany, France, Japan, and Israel.
🚓 Warning: It's important to manage screen time effectively to prevent negative health outcomes in children. Excessive screen time can have several negative impacts on physical health, cognitive development, and mental well-being.
- In Germany, the ECSC (European Commission for the Efficiency of Public Investment in Science, Research, and Innovation) could contribute to addressing the issue of growing screen time among kids by funding research on effective strategies for reducing screen time and its impact on health.
- Health-and-wellness platforms could provide resources and guidelines for parents on creating healthy lifestyle habits regarding screen time, such as setting limits, encouraging physical activity, and promoting sleep hygiene.
- Technology companies can develop features that help parents monitor and manage their children's screen time, thereby reducing the risk of excessive exposure and its potential negative effects.
- Education and self-development platforms can collaborate with mental health experts to create content that educates children about the importance of balanced screen time and the potential risks associated with excessive usage, such as depression, anxiety, and cyberbullying.
- Schools can incorporate digital safety and balanced screen time usage into their curriculum, teaching children about the risks of excessive screen time and providing strategies for managing screen time effectively as part of a holistic approach to health and wellness.
