Common Sense Media published the report, Media and Child and Adolescent Health: A Systematic Review, which reviewed 173 of the best studies from the last 30 years which examine the connection between media exposure and negative health effects on children.
The average modern child spends nearly 45 hours a week with television, movies, magazines, music, the Internet, cellphones and video games, the study reported. By comparison, children spend 17 hours a week with their parents on average and 30 hours a week in school, the study said.
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The strongest connection was found between the amount of TV watching and childhood obesity:
- 86% of these studies found a statistically significant relationship between increased media exposure and an increase in childhood obesity.
- 82% of studies concluded that more hours of media predicted increased weight over time.
- A longitudinal study of 5,493 children reported that those who spent more than eight hours watching TV per week at age three were significantly more likely to be obese at age seven.
"Media is increasingly pervasive in the lives of children and adolescents. Parents and educators must consider the effects of media when they're trying to address issues with their child's health. This report makes it clear that we need a bold new agenda on media and technology use. We hope this report will create a new sense of urgency in that regard."- James P. Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense Media
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