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New Study Links Early Smartphone Ownership to Increased Health Risks in Children
A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics reveals a concerning connection between early smartphone ownership and elevated health risks in children. Researchers found that children who acquire smartphones by the age of 12 face a higher likelihood of experiencing sleep deprivation, obesity, and depression. The study further indicates that the younger a child receives a smartphone, the greater their risk of developing these conditions.
Dr. Ran Barzilay, lead author of the study and a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, emphasized the growing consensus among experts to delay the age at which children receive their first smartphone.
Dr. Barzilay, also an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explained that his personal experience as a parent of a nine-year-old desiring a phone fueled his motivation to investigate the potential negative health outcomes of not delaying smartphone use.
The research team, comprising experts from the University of Pennsylvania, University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University, analyzed data from over 10,500 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. This ongoing study tracks brain development in children throughout adolescence.
Examining data collected between 2016 and 2022 from children aged 9 to 16, the team assessed how smartphone ownership and the age of first acquisition impacted health. The findings were stark: compared to 12-year-olds without smartphones, those who owned one had a 1.3 times higher risk of depression, a 1.4 times higher risk of obesity, and a 1.6 times higher risk of insufficient sleep.
Moreover, the study indicated a compounding effect: for each year earlier a child received a smartphone, starting as young as age 4, the risk of developing these problems increased by approximately 10%. This was in comparison to children who received a device later or not at all.
Even more surprising to researchers was the discovery that 13-year-olds who did not have a smartphone at age 12 but acquired one within the past year also exhibited worse mental health outcomes and poorer sleep, even after controlling for other influencing factors.
“This was quite surprising, I must say,” Dr. Barzilay commented. “I mean, we designed the study with a question in mind to try and test it, but to find it was quite compelling.”
While the study establishes an association rather than direct causation, Dr. Barzilay noted that it significantly contributes to the expanding body of evidence linking smartphone use in children to adverse health outcomes. This aligns with recommendations from the American Psychological Association, which advocates not only for reduced screen time-associated with socioemotional problems-but also for improving the quality and social interactions facilitated by screen time.
The study team recommends that parents, children, and pediatricians engage in thoughtful discussions to determine a child’s readiness for a smartphone. Dr. Barzilay clarified that the study’s results are not intended to blame parents who have already provided smartphones to their younger children, acknowledging that his own older children received devices before age 12.
He also highlighted the potential benefits of smartphones, such as increased connectivity and access to information. However, Dr. Barzilay suggested that parents implement rules to mitigate potential harm, such as prohibiting phone use in bedrooms at night and ensuring children participate in activities that do not require phone interaction.
As for his own nine-year-old, Dr. Barzilay’s decision is clear: “not getting a phone anytime soon. Clear decision.”