Excessive Screen Time in Childhood Linked to Increased Heart Pressure

Excessive Screen Time in Childhood Linked to Heart Damage and Sedentary Lifestyle

New Study Highlights the Risks of Unlimited Screen Use for Children

A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting 2023 has revealed the detrimental effects of excessive screen time on children’s health and development. The research team from the University of Eastern Finland found that children who lead a sedentary lifestyle have a higher risk of heart damage in early adulthood, even if they have normal body weight and blood pressure.

The study analyzed 14,500 babies born in 1990 and 1991 until they reached adulthood. Participants were asked to wear a smart watch that monitored their activity at ages 11, 15, and 24. Echocardiography was performed on their left ventricle at ages 17 and 24, and various factors such as height, sex, blood pressure, body fat, smoking status, physical activity, and socioeconomic status were analyzed.

The results revealed that the amount of time spent sitting and using screens increased significantly as the subjects grew older. At age 11, children spent an average of 362 minutes per day engaged in sedentary activities, which increased to 531 minutes per day in adulthood. Remarkably, the echocardiography results showed a direct correlation between the increase in sitting time and heart pressure in young individuals. This link between cumulative inactivity time and heart damage remained consistent, regardless of body weight and blood pressure.

Furthermore, the study suggests that sedentary behavior during childhood should be considered a cardiovascular risk factor, alongside smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It emphasizes the importance of limiting screen time and encouraging physical activity in children and teenagers to prevent the early onset of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Pauliina Raikkonen, the lead researcher of the study, warns parents about the dangers of excessive screen use for their children. “Unlimited screen time can lead to cardiovascular disease starting earlier in adulthood. It is essential for parents to prioritize movement and set limits on TV viewing, social media use, and video game playing,” advises Dr. Raikkonen.

In light of these findings, the World Health Organization recommends that children aged 2 to 4 should not spend more than one hour on electronic screens per day. By promoting a more active and balanced lifestyle, we can protect our children’s health and reduce the risks of heart damage and sedentary behavior.

As the scientific community uncovers more evidence, it is evident that excessive screen time poses significant risks to children’s well-being. Parents, educators, and healthcare professionals must join forces to address this issue and prioritize children’s health.

Chemical News Reporter: Kim Yu-jeong

Source: Chemical News. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited.

Excessive monitor use time increases the pressure on the heart.
Unlimited screen time leads to earlier onset of cardiovascular disease in adulthood
Cardiovascular risk factors should include ‘accumulated time of sedentary behavior during childhood’

Many studies have shown that excessive use of screens on electronic devices such as televisions, video games, smartphones, and tablets is detrimental to children’s neurological development and socialization. This is also because it causes children to lose touch with their environment, which can lead to a very real addiction that requires the intervention of a mental health professional.

Children’s use of electronic device screens / Photo = Pixabay

The World Health Organization recommends that children aged 2 to 4 should not look at electronic screens for more than 1 hour a day.

Screen use can cause neurocognitive learning disabilities in the early stages of childhood personality formation, and spending too much time in front of screens during childhood and adolescence can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, there is a proven link between excessive use of screens and an increase in sedentary lifestyles in children.

“Too much time using a monitor increases heart pressure”

A new study shows yet another reason to limit the time children spend in front of the TV or smartphone.

Children who lead a sedentary lifestyle have a higher risk of heart damage in early adulthood, according to a new study by a research team from the University of Eastern Finland presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting 2023. A lack of activity in during infancy cause heart attack and stroke later in life, even if body weight and blood pressure are within normal ranges.

The health and lifestyle research team analyzed 14,500 babies born in 1990 and 1991 until they reached adulthood.

Of these, 766 were asked to wear a smart watch that monitored their activity for a week at age 11, and were asked to wear it again at age 15 and 24. At the same time, echocardiography was performed on the left ventricle of each subject at 17 and 24 years of age, and height, sex, blood pressure, body fat, smoking status, physical activity, and socioeconomic status were analyzed.

The results of the study showed that the subjects at the age of 11 stood for an average of 362 minutes a day. These increased to 474 minutes per day during adolescence (age 15) and to 531 minutes per day in adulthood (age 24). Over the 13-year study period, sitting time increased by an average of 2.8 hours per day, with a significant proportion of that time spent sitting in front of a screen.

The most serious thing is that echocardiography shows that the increase in heart pressure in young people is directly related to the time spent sitting. The likelihood of heart attack and stroke increased as adults, and the direct relationship between cumulative inactivity time and heart damage was independent of body weight and blood pressure.

‘Children’s sitting time is linked to heart damage during adolescence’ / Captured by the European Society of Cardiology

Cardiovascular risk factors should include ‘accumulated time of sedentary behavior during childhood’

A sedentary lifestyle is known to increase the risk of metabolic diseases (obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc.), neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular disease in adults, but this new study suggests that behavior can be linked sedentary at a very young age. i It shows that unlimited screen time can lead to cardiovascular disease starting earlier in adulthood.

It is vital for parents to encourage children and teenagers to move around more and limit the time they spend watching TV, social media and playing video games.

The research team says that the list of known conventional cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.) should be revised to include cumulative time spent in sedentary behavior during childhood.

Chemical News Reporter Kim Yu-jeong

Chemistry is everywhere. Copyright © Chemical News Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited

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