Washington: According to a study, young children are spending more time watching television than ever before despite living in an age of smart phones and tablets.
The study conducted at the Florida International University in the US compared pre-mobile device usage in 1997 to when mobile devices were widely available in 2014.
The research, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, found that television consumption still significantly outpaced mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.
“There is growing concern over the amount of time that children, particularly very young children, spend watching shows and in front of screens,” said Weiwei Chen, an assistant professor at the university.
“Our findings were surprising as it feels like mobile devices are omnipresent, but televisions are still the most common way for young children to consume media,” Chen said.
The study found that the average amount of screen time in 1997 for children up to the age of two was 1.3 hours while children between the ages of three and five spent about 2.5 hours a day on screens.
By 2014, children up to the age of two were using screens an average of three hours per day — more than double the amount of time.
It was found that children aged three to five did not have a significant increase, researchers said.
This study is unique as it uses written diary data provided by parents instead of general surveys that are often administered at a later date, which may cause a greater parental recall bias.
“The increase in the amount of screen time for infants and toddlers is telling. Our study reinforces general findings that a variety of characteristics, such as education and income levels, relate to screen use,” said Jessica L Adler, another assistant professor at the university.
“Further research is needed, once data become available, to assess changes in media consumption and device use in more recent years,” Adler said.
According to the researchers, while there is much concern about the overuse of mobile devices to occupy and entertain children, it is important that more attention be paid to the amount of television they are consuming.
PTI