[ad_1]
Previous research has shown that excessive screen time can damage the brain, especially the regions responsible for the treatment of emotions, decision-making, attention and cognitive control.
RELATED: Does the blue light on your computer or the screen of the phone blind you slowly?
A recent 10-year cross-sectional observational study published in Lancet Child and Adolescent Health adds to the body of work suggesting a link between screen time and reduced cognition.
Scientists from Ontario, Canada evaluated the behavior of 4,524 American children aged 8 to 11 years old from 20 different study sites between September 1, 2016 and September 15, 2017. The team administered questionnaires and collected data on children's leisure time, sleep schedules, exercise regimes and other factors affecting youth mental health.
RELATED: Study: Children's time spent on mobile screens has tripled in four years
Each child has also been tested for their cognitive skills, such as language, memory and attention.
After controlling for ethnicity, income, education of parents and children, puberty, body mass index and traumatic brain injury, researchers found that children who passed less than two hours of their free time on screens, slept 9 to 11 hours a night and at least one hour of physical activity per night was more successful than those that did not fit any of these specificities.
But among all the factors examined, they noticed that children with less than two hours of screening a day produced the best results. Yet, only one in 20 American children in the study adheres to the 24-Hour Canadian Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth, Physical Activity and Sleep Recommendations. On average, US children spend about 3.6 hours a day on recreation time, according to the researchers.
RELATED: Is too much technology turning your child into a digital addict? An expert thinks so
Overall, 51% of participants met the sleep recommendation (9 to 11 hours per night), 37% met the screen time recommendation (less than 2 hours) and 18% respected the physical activity recommendation. (one hour). About 71% of participants responded to at least one recommendation, but only 5% responded to all three recommendations.
With more recommendations met, overall cognition has increased. Nevertheless, the researchers reiterated: "the fact of only respecting the screen time recommendation or the screen and sleep time recommendations had the strongest associations with cognitive development."
RELATED: You can not think correctly lately? These are probably heat waves, according to a study
"Daily behaviors and activities contribute to children's brain and cognitive development. Physical activity, sedentary behaviors and sleep could also affect cognition independently and collectively, "said author of the study, Jeremy Walsh. "Evidence suggests that a good sleep and physical activity are associated with better academic performance, while physical activity is also associated with better reaction times, attention, memory and d & # 39; inhibition. "
Walsh and his team hope that pediatricians, educators, legislators and parents will read the study and encourage the limitation of time spent in front of a screen of entertainment and healthy sleep schedules.
»RELATED: Frequent use of technology in adolescents linked to ADHD symptoms, reveals study
But "more research on the links between screen time and cognition is now needed," added Walsh, "particularly by studying the effect of different types of time in front of the screen. , whether it is educational or recreational content, whether it is targeted or multitasking ".
The researchers also noted that since this was an observational study, they could not establish the underlying causes or direction of the association.
Read the full study on thelancet.com.
Source link
