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A growing body of research is challenging the assumption that excessive screen time is merely a lifestyle issue. A new Danish study, highlighted by the Austrian Society for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (ÖGKJ), suggests that the hours young people spend on smartphones, gaming consoles, and other digital devices may have measurable consequences for their heart health.
More Screen Time, Higher Risk
According to the study, every additional hour spent in front of a screen is associated with changes in key cardiometabolic risk factors — including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin regulation. When daily screen time increases by three hours, these risk markers shift in a noticeably unfavorable direction.
For Arnika Thiede, a member of the ÖGKJ’s working groups on developmental, social, and neurological pediatrics, the findings underscore a long‑standing concern. “Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common causes of illness and premature death worldwide. Their roots often lie in childhood,” she explains. Early disruptions in cardiometabolic health can pave the way for disease decades later.
Sleep: The Hidden Amplifier
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, also reveals that sleep patterns significantly influence the relationship between screen time and cardiometabolic risk. Children and adolescents who go to bed later or sleep fewer hours show even stronger negative associations.
In other words: two teens may have the same screen time, but the one who sleeps less is likely to have worse health indicators.
Importantly, these patterns persist even when accounting for other lifestyle factors such as sedentary behavior. While the study cannot prove direct causation, it paints a compelling picture of how tightly intertwined digital habits, sleep, and physical health have become.
What Parents Can Do
Thiede emphasizes that parents play a more powerful role than they often realize. At the Institute for Sensory and Speech Neurology at the Konventhospital Linz, she and colleague Christoph Rosenthaler run a workshop called “Smart(ohne)phone” for expectant parents and families with young children. The goal is to help caregivers shape healthy media habits from the very beginning.
“Parents can actively influence when and how children start using digital media, what content they encounter, and how much time they spend with screens,” Thiede notes. “It’s a demanding task, which is why support and information are so valuable.”
A Framework for Modern Media Education
Researchers at the University of Klagenfurt’s Institute for Media and Communication Science offer a helpful guide: the MAPA model. It outlines four pillars of contemporary media education:
- Model healthy digital behavior
- Actively participate in children’s media experiences
- Be present during media use
- Stay attentive to children’s needs and reactions
Parents’ own habits matter enormously. When adults frequently use digital devices or rely on screens to soothe or occupy children, these patterns can become deeply ingrained.
Beyond Screens: Creating Alternatives
Intentional media education doesn’t mean banning devices. It means using them consciously — watching together, discussing content, and setting clear boundaries around screen time. It also involves offering appealing alternatives: board game nights, outdoor activities, creative projects, or simply shared downtime.
As digital devices become ever more integrated into daily life, the study serves as a timely reminder that children’s bodies and brains are still developing — and that the choices adults make today can shape their long‑term health.
- source: orf.at/picture: pixabay.com
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