Children who receive smartphones before age 12 face increased risks of depression, obesity and insufficient sleep, according to a report from THE NEW YORK TIMES citing a new study published in Pediatrics. The research analyzed data from more than 10,500 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term project on U.S. child brain development.
The study found that the younger children were when they first received a smartphone, the more likely they were to experience poor sleep and weight-related issues. It also noted that children who acquired a phone after age 12 showed “more harmful mental health symptoms and worse sleep” within a year compared with those who still did not own one.
“When you give your kid a phone, you need to think of it as something that is significant for the kid’s health — and behave accordingly,” said lead author Dr. Ran Barzilay of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Other experts warned that while the study shows association, not causation, the findings may “nudge” parents to delay smartphone access. Researchers highlighted sleep disruption as a key concern, citing earlier data showing high device use in children’s bedrooms.
“Giving a child a device with access to everything on the internet is going to be risky,” said Dr. Jacqueline Nesi.