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New Study Links Screen Usage During Meals to Increased Child Weight
A recent study found that children who use smartphones or watch television during their meals are more likely to gain weight.
Researchers at the Portuguese "Minho" University stated that children's distraction by screens while eating hampers their awareness of fullness, leading to larger food intake without realizing it.
The researchers said that children allowed to use devices or watch TV during mealtime were 15% more likely to gain weight compared to those who were not permitted to do so.
The research team studied eating habits of 735 children aged 6 to 10 years, asking each child about the foods they consumed over the past 24 hours, and also inquiring from parents about their rules regarding screen use during mealtimes.
They presented their findings at the European Obesity Conference held in Venice on Saturday, expressing the belief that the numbers might be lower than reality because some parents may not have admitted to allowing their children to use screens during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Dr. Ana Duarte, the lead researcher, said: "When children eat and watch something on TV or their phone, they continue eating because screens distract them."
Meanwhile, Tam Frray, co-founder of the Child Growth Foundation, commented: "Obese children are now suffering from diseases like diabetes, which used to be exclusive to adults. Clearly, allowing children to eat unconsciously in front of the TV harms their health, and unfortunately, this has become a lifestyle for many families," according to the British newspaper Daily Mail.
