Screen Time Among Children: Current State and Guidelines
The current state of screen time among children is concerning, with approximately 49% of school-aged children exceeding 2 hours per day and 16% exceeding 4 hours per day, while among Australian youth, 45% of 8-year-olds to 80% of 16-year-olds exceed recommended limits. 1, 2
Current Screen Time Patterns by Age
Children Under 2 Years
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screen time entirely for children younger than 2 years of age 3, 4
- This recommendation is based on lack of evidence for educational or developmental benefits and potential adverse health and developmental effects in this age group 3
School-Aged Children (6-17 Years)
- The AAP recommends limiting total screen time to ≤2 hours per day for all children 4, 1
- Reality shows that nearly half (49%) of US school-aged children exceed this 2-hour recommendation, with 16% engaging in heavy screen use (>4 hours per day) 1
Adolescents (8-16 Years)
- Screen time compliance worsens dramatically with age: 45% of 8-year-olds exceed recommendations, escalating to 80% of 16-year-olds 2
- The problem is compounded by the proliferation of handheld devices beyond traditional TV and computers 2
Key Risk Factors Associated with Excessive Screen Time
Family environment and household rules are the strongest predictors of excessive screen time:
- Presence of TV in the child's bedroom is strongly associated with both >2 and >4 hours per day of screen time 1
- Absence of family rules about TV viewing significantly increases odds of excessive use 1
- Lower frequency of family meals correlates with increased screen time 1
- Less physical activity is associated with higher screen time 1
Health Consequences
- There is a statistically significant positive relationship (P < .01) between children's screen time and their food and beverage consumption, contributing to obesity risk 4
- Excess screen time is linked to cardiovascular diseases, aggressive behavior, poor eating habits, reduced physical activity, obesity, high-risk behaviors, and poor school performance 4, 5
Parental Concerns and Barriers
- Parents express significant concern about their children's screen time, particularly during weekends and holidays, with a significant correlation (P < .01) between hours spent on screens and parental concern level 4
- The most frequent barrier to implementing recommendations is lack of parental motivation or support, followed by lack of time and sense of futility in changing media habits 5
- Background media use by parents themselves negatively affects children under 2 years 3
Clinical Reality
The traditional <2 hours per day recommendation may no longer be tenable in modern society, as screen-based media have become central to children's everyday lives, with different patterns emerging across specific activities (TV viewing, gaming, social networking, web use), sex, and age 2. However, this reality does not negate the documented health risks, making intervention and family-based limit-setting more critical than ever 4, 1.