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Researchers find kids who own smartphones before age 12 have higher risk of depression, obesity and sleep deprivation
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Study analyzed data from more than 10,500 participants in the largest U.S. study of child brain development
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Experts advise families to weigh risks and benefits, emphasizing monitoring children’s smartphone use and its impact on health
Children who use smartphones before the age of 12 are more likely to develop certain health problems, researchers report.
According to an article published in the magazine Pediatrics On Monday, December 1, 12-year-olds were 1.3 times more likely to suffer from depression, 1.6 times more likely to suffer from sleep deprivation, and 1.4 times more likely to be obese than children who did not yet have smartphones.
Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University came to this conclusion by analyzing data from more than 10,500 participants from childhood to adolescence in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, according to findings posted on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website.
The ABCD study “is the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States,” according to the study’s website.
Keiko Iwabuchi/Getty
Stock photo of a girl holding a smartphone
Dr. Ran Barzilay, lead author of the book Pediatrics Journal Research and Child Adolescent Psychiatrists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia explained that more than 60 percent of the children studied had their own smartphone by the age of 12, adding that the median age of getting a smartphone was 11.
“We only analyzed data collected between 2018 and 2021 when the children were 12 to 13 years old,” he told People of the study.
The study’s objectives were: “Considering the health consequences of smartphone use among adolescents, we tested the association between smartphone ownership and age at smartphone purchase and depression, obesity, and sleep deprivation in early adolescence.” Pediatrics website. “We hypothesized that smartphone ownership, especially at a younger age, would lead to worse health outcomes.”
“While there is no specific age at which smartphone purchase is recommended, our research does show that, on average, smartphone ownership is associated with worse health outcomes by at least age 12,” Dr. Barzilay told People.
He added, “Each family can consider the potential risks and benefits based on their own needs and personal circumstances. I think what’s more important is that once a smartphone is given to a child, there must be regular contact with the child to see how this affects their lifestyle and health,” questioning, “Are they still getting enough sleep, enough time to exercise and play outside of screens?”
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Stock photo of a child holding a smartphone
When asked about the motivation behind the study, Dr. Barzilai said: “There are several experts who recommend delaying smartphone purchases, but so far there is little data to support this advice.”
“In medicine, we aim to make ‘evidence-based’ decisions, so our study provides important evidence to guide parents and policymakers in making informed decisions affecting children’s health in the digital age,” he continued.
In a video posted online Pediatrics Citing data from the Pew Research Center, Dr. Barzilay pointed out that by 2024, 95% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 in the United States will own a smartphone. The survey found that nearly one-third of 8- to 10-year-olds own a smartphone, while more than half of 11- to 12-year-olds surveyed own a smartphone.
Twelve percent of parents with children aged 5 to 7 said their children owned smartphones, while 8% of parents with children under 5 said their children owned smartphones.
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The latest findings come after New York University social psychologist Jonathan Haidt wrote in his 2024 book about how smartphones are harming children’s mental health anxious generation“People” previously reported.
“We’ve never seen anything like this. There’s overwhelming evidence of harm,” Hight insisted, insisting that anxiety and depression have increased dramatically. “It happened in many countries at the same time, at one specific point in time: the moment teenagers swapped flip phones for smartphones. It was as if a murder had occurred and all witnesses pointed to the suspect. There was no other explanation.”
Read the original article on People
