Families who set screen time rules for their children promote healthier childhoods with better sleep patterns which could reduce the risk of obesity, according to a new study.
Research from the University of Auckland and City St George’s, University of London used data from 5733 children and their mothers, derived from the Growing Up in New Zealand study to investigate how family screen time rules at age two affected childhood obesity at age four-and-a-half.
Lead author Dr Ladan Hashemi, a University of Auckland honorary senior researcher in social and community health said the findings suggest that adhering to family screen time rules effectively reduced young children’s screen use by ensuring they got enough sleep.
Inadequate sleep has been previously associated with obesity, and children who spend less time on screen devices usually sleep better according to previous studies.
Hashemi said establishing simple, consistent screen time rules early in a child’s life was a helpful strategy to support healthier habits and address obesity on a larger scale.
The key advice for parents was to establish rules covering three areas; the quality of programmes children can watch, the amount of screen time children are allowed and when children can look at TV and computer screens.
Additionally, she said families who enforce rules in these areas may be more likely to have other rules about bedtime, which could further improve their children’s sleep.
“These simple but combined actions can have a lasting, positive impact on your child’s overall health and help lower their risk of obesity,” Hashimi said.
Other factors influencing childhood obesity
The research also looked at other factors associated with more time on screens and childhood obesity, such as poverty and food insecurity.
“When these factors were adjusted for, the association between screen time and obesity diminished. This suggests factors other than time on screens were key to childhood obesity. The researchers suggest any policies addressing screen time need to also tackle poverty and food insecurity,” Hashemi said.
“Programmes that offer resources and support to financially disadvantaged families, like those that improve access to healthy foods, are essential for helping these families establish and maintain effective screen use guidelines.”
Other studies have found excessive screen time at a very young age is associated with adverse health and behavioural outcomes, including shortened attention spans, emotional problems, language difficulties, disrupted sleep patterns, and increased risk of obesity.
