In the most comprehensive assessment of its kind to date, the National Institutes of Health partnered with Yale University and the California Pacific Medical Center to review 173 studies done on children and the media since 1980.
Most of these studies primarily checked out kids' use of television, but some looked at video games, films, music, and computer and Internet use.
Three quarters of those studies tied increased media use to negative health outcomes.
The more screen time, the more likely to be obese, start smoking, and have sex at a younger age. Media also had “statistically significant associations” with drug and alcohol use.
Not clear, surprisingly, was the link between media use and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Common Sense Media, which released the study, published a statement regarding the urgency of this problem,
'Media is increasingly pervasive in the lives of children and adolescents,' said James P. Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense Media. 'Parents and educators must consider the effects of media when they’re trying to address issues with their child’s health.'
One of the study's five reviewers, Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel of the NIH, agrees. He said that there were only a few that showed any positive outcomes from media use. Overwhelmingly, the assessment showed negative impacts, and showed them clearly.
Coach potato does, unfortunately, sum it up pretty well....Common Sense Media urges lawmakers to be vocal about minimizing children's and teens' use of media. Luckily, they have an in. The aforementioned Dr. Emanuel is President-elect Obama's Chief of Staff's brother and the study backers briefed policy makers today. They hope Obama will continue to push parents to "turn it off" for their kids.
The fact that it was probably more a matter of quantity than actual content is also a concern. We have a media-saturated life right now in the 21st century. And reducing the number of hours of exposure is going to be a big issue.
One study that I found interesting showed that if your 3-year-old watches 8 hours or more of TV per week, he has a much higher chance of becoming an obese 7-year-old.
Which made me ask: 8 hours of TV a week? Wow. My son would have to have eight tantrum-free days per week to be rewarded with that much TV! Often, he's headed toward only one kind of media: the circus he gets sold to!
Tv Turnoff Week isn't until April, but feel free to practice it any old time you like! For more help, check out the Kill Your Television Web site or its parent site at Screentime.org.
Adbuster used to push the TV-free week, but has changed its campaign to the Mental Detox Week. I know I need all the help I can get!
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