The study, led by King’s College London, tracked 3,675 adolescents at ages 14 and 17. Participants kept diaries of their physical activity, screen time, and recreational behaviours at 14, and later reported their psychological distress at 17
Teenagers who engage in over three hours of sedentary activities daily, such as playing video games or excessive screen exposure, face a heightened risk of mental health issues like anxiety and depression, a new study has revealed.
Published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, the study highlights that adolescents spending more than 180 minutes on screens for leisure showed greater psychological distress by age 17. Specifically, video games had a significant impact, with each additional hour contributing to a 3% increase in psychological distress. Excessive reading, particularly in boys, also correlated with more mental health issues.
However, moderate screen time (60-119 minutes a day) spent on educational activities, such as attending classes or doing homework, was found to have a “protective” effect, reducing psychological distress. “Sedentary behaviour includes activities like using a computer, watching TV, or attending class. While some activities can be positive, like homework, others, such as excessive gaming, can be harmful,” explained Andre de Oliveira Werneck, a doctoral student at the University of Sao Paulo.
The study, led by King’s College London, tracked 3,675 adolescents at ages 14 and 17. Participants kept diaries of their physical activity, screen time, and recreational behaviours at 14, and later reported their psychological distress at 17.
Though previous studies have linked reading with better mental health outcomes, this research suggests excessive reading, particularly when it displaces social or outdoor interactions, could be detrimental. Additionally, reading on screen devices may contribute to the issue.
Based on the findings, the researchers recommend setting limits on screen time and encouraging structured, educational screen activities to mitigate the risks associated with excessive sedentary behaviour.
Daily Screen Time Linked to Increased Risk of Myopia
A recent study has found that spending just one hour a day on digital devices such as tablets or smartphones can significantly raise the risk of developing myopia (nearsightedness).
Published in JAMA Network Open, the study’s systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that for every additional hour of screen time per day, the odds of developing myopia increased by 21%. The researchers noted a dose-response pattern that suggested a potential “safety threshold” for screen exposure at under one hour daily, with the risk escalating more sharply after 1 hour and peaking at 4 hours.
The research, which reviewed data from 45 studies involving over 335,000 participants from toddlers to young adults, showed that the risk rises significantly between 1-4 hours of screen time and then increases gradually thereafter. Notably, the study found no significant association with screen time exposure under one hour, providing a potential guideline for limiting risks.
Experts believe that these findings can help clinicians and researchers address the growing concern of the “myopia pandemic,” a rise in nearsightedness cases attributed to excessive screen use.
In addition to eye health, prolonged screen time has been linked to various other health issues such as obesity, cognitive impairments, and spine problems, particularly when individuals spend long hours in poor posture.
