Canadian study reveals teens spend seven hours a day in front of TVs, computers

A new study co-conducted by Dr. Robert Mann, a senior scientist at Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental health has revealed that hundreds of thousands of teens in Ontario spend nearly seven hours a day staring at a computer or TV screen.

 

The number surprises even researchers familiar with this growing trend and is likely to take a serious toll not only on adolescents' physical health, but on their emotional and mental well-being as well.

 

The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends no screen time for children under two years of age and a maximum of two hours for children older than two.

 

These latest statistics are especially alarming, given that the number of students who rate their health as poor has increased significantly over the past two decades, to 14.5 per cent from 8.9 per cent in 1999. More than a quarter of the students are either overweight or obese.

 

To read more about tips on keeping your children healthy and active, click here.

 

To read more about this latest study, click here.