According to a new study from the University of Bristol, youngsters who spend hours each day in front of the TV or game console have more psychological difficulties like problems relating to peers, emotional issues, hyperactivity, or conduct challenges, than those who don’t. And – contrary to what earlier studies have indicated – the negative impact of screen time was not remedied by increasing a child’s physical activity. Researchers found that children who spent two hours or more a day watching television or playing on a computer had more psychological difficulties than kids who did not spend a lot of time in front of a screen. Even children who were physically active but spent more than two hours a day in front of a screen were at increased risk of psychological difficulties, indicating that screen time might be the chief culprit.
