Findings seen for both total screen time and different types of content<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Screen time is associated with mental health problems in children aged 3 to 6 years, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in\u00a0JAMA Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\n Haiwa Wang, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and colleagues explored changes in screen exposure across different content types and their relationship with mental health in children ages 3 to 6 years. The analysis included data from 15,965 participants in the Shanghai Children s Health, Education and Lifestyle Evaluation-Preschool study (November 2016 to May 2019 when children were aged 3 to 4 years [wave 1], 4 to 5 years [wave 2], and 5 to 6 years [wave 3]).<\/p>\n The researchers found that as children developed from ages 3 to 6 years, the proportion of screen exposure to educational programs (no more than one hour per day: 45.0 to 26.8 percent) and entertainment programs (no more than one hour per day: 44.4 to 32.1 percent) decreased, while exposure to social media increased (no more than one hour per day: 1.5 to 27.1 percent). A higher proportion of screen exposure to educational programs was associated with a lower risk for mental health problems (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73), but non-child-directed programs were associated with a higher risk for such problems (adjusted odds ratio, 2.82). Total screen time was consistently associated with mental health problems, regardless of content.<\/p>\n “Limiting children’s screen time, prioritizing educational programs, and avoiding non-child-directed programs are recommended,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text\u00a0(subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n