If you’re a parent, there’s no doubt you’ll be well-acquainted with one of the more hotly debated topics related to parenting: screen time and kids.
In today’s adult world, screens are ubiquitous. So, it’s only natural that our widespread use of smartphones, tablets, computers and televisions for work, communication, education and entertainment means our kids are exposed to screens from a very young age.
On one side of the screens and kids debate, you’ll find arguments that screen time helps kids learn, develop creativity and supports social interaction and connection.
On the other, you’ll hear that too much screen time negatively impacts child development, including a lesser-known way it impacts diet that may surprise you.
So, here’s everything you need to know about this important topic and some practical tips you can follow to ensure your child has a healthier relationship with screens and a healthy diet.
The guidelines for children and screens
In Australia, the government has established national guidelines for screen time as part of its 24-hour movement guidelines. These guidelines prescribe the amount of time we should be spending on activity, sleep, and screen time daily to maintain physical and mental health and well-being.
The screen time guidelines – which are based on seated activity – recommend:
- No screen time for children under two
- No more than one hour of screen time for children aged 2 to 5
- No more than two hours of recreational screen time outside of school work from the age of 5 to 17.
Unfortunately, data published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies confirms these screen time guidelines are largely not being applied to Aussie kids, highlighting only 17 to 23 per cent of pre-schoolers and 15 per cent of 5 to 12-year-olds used screens at the levels recommended.
How too much screen time affects child development
An internet search on the topic of kids and too much screen time will quickly return many articles – backed by research – confirming its impact on child development, specifically on motor, cognitive, social and psychological development. Too much screen time is also associated with behavioural and emotional problems and poor academic performance.
There’s a wealth of literature, too, covering the more well-known ways screen time impacts diet. Specifically, children with higher screen time are more likely to:
- Engage in mindless eating and overeating – when they’re distracted by screens, kids can miss important signals from their brains letting them know they’re full.
- Crave and eat unhealthier foods – you’d be hard-pressed to find a parent who hasn’t experienced pester power and the demands for fast food, unhealthy snacks and high-sugar cereals and drinks driven by the advertising accompanying children’s content on screens.
As a health professional and obesity expert, I do not doubt these factors are contributing significantly to poor outcomes for Aussie kids, with data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirming that 25 per cent of Australian children and adolescents are overweight or obese.
The surprising way screen time affects children’s diets
The lesser-known way too much screen time affects a child’s diet is by impacting their sleep.
Adequate sleep is vital for managing our diet – and weight – at every age.
For children and adolescents, adequate sleep is:
- 11 to 14 hours, including naps, for toddlers
- 10 to 13 hours, including naps, for 3-to 5-year-olds
- 9 to 11 hours for kids aged 6 to 12
- 8 to 10 hours for teenagers.
However, research confirms a child’s ability to get adequate sleep is impacted by screen time. This includes a review of 67 studies completed with school-aged children and adolescents that found screen time was adversely associated with sleep outcomes – primarily shortened duration and delayed timing – in 90% of the studies reviewed.
The way in which screen time disrupts our sleep is the screens of all electronic devices emit what’s known as ‘blue light’ that has a reductive effect on melatonin – a hormone produced by our brain that regulates sleep.
Put simply, this blue light has the same impact on the brain as a sunrise – something which is also high in blue light – triggering us to wake up.
When we use screens at night, they block our melatonin production and tell our brain it’s daytime – not time to close our eyes and get that much-needed rest – disrupting our natural sleep cycle.
In turn, this affects our diet and weight.
This is because we need adequate sleep to regulate two essential hormones – ghrelin and leptin – that manage our hunger and appetite.
Research confirms getting less than our recommended sleep disrupts our appetite hormones and this disruption results in an increased desire to eat. It also leads to increased impulsive behaviour linked to food choices, which often results in us reaching for foods high in sugar, fats and salt for immediate gratification.
So, if your child is not getting the sleep they need at night, there’s a good chance they’ll be using their pester power to satisfy their craving for sugary, fatty and salty foods the next day. Or it will see your school-aged child heading to a vending machine or convenience store for chocolate and chips in place of a nutritious, healthy snack.
Sleep deprivation also has flow-on effects on weight and health.
A good night’s sleep is required to ensure we have enough energy to be physically active during the day, so if your child’s not getting enough sleep, they’ll feel tired and be more likely to skip structured physical activity because they don’t have the energy to move.
The importance of adhering to screen time and physical activity recommendations is reinforced by new research completed with 1,697 children and adolescents, aged 6 to 17 years, which confirmed that the odds of meeting one or both of these recommendations was inversely associated with obesity.
Fortunately, there are some practical steps you can take to ensure your child has a healthy relationship with screens and good sleep health.
Three things you can do to promote a healthy relationship with screens
1. Establish screen time rules
Your rules should consider guidelines for your child’s age and cover expectations for where, when and how screens are used.
For example, playing an educational game in the family room is okay; watching YouTube on a loop in the bedroom is not!
To avoid the impact screens have on diet, I also recommend making mealtimes and the bedroom at bedtime screen-free zones.
Bonus tip: involve your child in establishing these rules to ensure they’ll be followed!
2. Make time for outdoor time
Establishing regular time in your family’s schedule for physical activity outdoors – whether a daily visit to the park or sports on the weekend – is an easy and fun way to limit screen time. Making sure your child gets enough physical activity daily also supports their sleep and overall health.
Like rule setting, involving your child in your activity choice will make them more willing to participate.
3. Be a role model
Kids closely observe and mimic their parents, so the best way to ensure your child has healthy screen time habits is to adopt them yourself!
So, apply rules to your screen use at home, including being mindful of not being distracted by devices’ never-ending notifications.
Four things you can do to ensure your child enjoys good sleep health
1. Implement the ‘no blue light after twilight’ rule
A simple but effective way to avoid the melatonin-and-sleep-suppressing blue light emitted from screens is to turn off all technology at least one hour before bedtime.
2. Boost your child’s serotonin
Serotonin is a chemical messenger that helps regulate our sleep. To help your child have the best sleep possible, boost their intake of foods that increase serotonin levels naturally – like dairy, eggs, tofu, salmon, lamb, chicken and turkey – later in the day. You’ll find plenty of healthy recipes here that will get even the fussiest of kids eating!
3. Implement a bedtime routine
We’re intrinsically creatures of habit, so following the same steps every night without fail will ensure your child is ready for sleep. Your routine should include activities like having an early healthy dinner, followed by bathing, teeth brushing, PJ donning, saying goodnight and reading before the lights are turned down for sleep.
4. Make your child’s bedroom a sleep sanctuary
Ensuring your child’s bedroom is quiet, comfortable and dark enough is essential for a good night’s sleep. This includes being at a comfortable temperature (18°C to 22°C) and having a comfortable bed – your child will spend at least one-third of their time in it, so it pays to buy the best quality you can afford.
Your child’s bedroom should also be free of distractions. Now, I know this is tricky with kids, but it’s vital to store toys and screens in other rooms so your child associates their bedroom with sleep time, not playtime.
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