Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews
Objectives To systematically examine the evidence of harms and benefits relating to time spent on screens for children and young people’s (CYP) health and well-being, to inform policy.Methods Systematic review of reviews undertaken to answer the question ‘What is the evidence for health and well-bei...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2019-01-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e023191.full |
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| author | Russell M Viner Neza Stiglic |
| author_facet | Russell M Viner Neza Stiglic |
| author_sort | Russell M Viner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To systematically examine the evidence of harms and benefits relating to time spent on screens for children and young people’s (CYP) health and well-being, to inform policy.Methods Systematic review of reviews undertaken to answer the question ‘What is the evidence for health and well-being effects of screentime in children and adolescents (CYP)?’ Electronic databases were searched for systematic reviews in February 2018. Eligible reviews reported associations between time on screens (screentime; any type) and any health/well-being outcome in CYP. Quality of reviews was assessed and strength of evidence across reviews evaluated.Results 13 reviews were identified (1 high quality, 9 medium and 3 low quality). 6 addressed body composition; 3 diet/energy intake; 7 mental health; 4 cardiovascular risk; 4 for fitness; 3 for sleep; 1 pain; 1 asthma. We found moderately strong evidence for associations between screentime and greater obesity/adiposity and higher depressive symptoms; moderate evidence for an association between screentime and higher energy intake, less healthy diet quality and poorer quality of life. There was weak evidence for associations of screentime with behaviour problems, anxiety, hyperactivity and inattention, poorer self-esteem, poorer well-being and poorer psychosocial health, metabolic syndrome, poorer cardiorespiratory fitness, poorer cognitive development and lower educational attainments and poor sleep outcomes. There was no or insufficient evidence for an association of screentime with eating disorders or suicidal ideation, individual cardiovascular risk factors, asthma prevalence or pain. Evidence for threshold effects was weak. We found weak evidence that small amounts of daily screen use is not harmful and may have some benefits.Conclusions There is evidence that higher levels of screentime is associated with a variety of health harms for CYP, with evidence strongest for adiposity, unhealthy diet, depressive symptoms and quality of life. Evidence to guide policy on safe CYP screentime exposure is limited.PROSPERO registration number CRD42018089483. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8dda3d0931f491ca32517e50bd2f4a1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8dda3d0931f491ca32517e50bd2f4a12025-02-01T17:05:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-01-019110.1136/bmjopen-2018-023191Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviewsRussell M Viner0Neza Stiglic1Population, Policy & Practice Research Programme, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, UKPopulation, policy and practice research programme, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UKObjectives To systematically examine the evidence of harms and benefits relating to time spent on screens for children and young people’s (CYP) health and well-being, to inform policy.Methods Systematic review of reviews undertaken to answer the question ‘What is the evidence for health and well-being effects of screentime in children and adolescents (CYP)?’ Electronic databases were searched for systematic reviews in February 2018. Eligible reviews reported associations between time on screens (screentime; any type) and any health/well-being outcome in CYP. Quality of reviews was assessed and strength of evidence across reviews evaluated.Results 13 reviews were identified (1 high quality, 9 medium and 3 low quality). 6 addressed body composition; 3 diet/energy intake; 7 mental health; 4 cardiovascular risk; 4 for fitness; 3 for sleep; 1 pain; 1 asthma. We found moderately strong evidence for associations between screentime and greater obesity/adiposity and higher depressive symptoms; moderate evidence for an association between screentime and higher energy intake, less healthy diet quality and poorer quality of life. There was weak evidence for associations of screentime with behaviour problems, anxiety, hyperactivity and inattention, poorer self-esteem, poorer well-being and poorer psychosocial health, metabolic syndrome, poorer cardiorespiratory fitness, poorer cognitive development and lower educational attainments and poor sleep outcomes. There was no or insufficient evidence for an association of screentime with eating disorders or suicidal ideation, individual cardiovascular risk factors, asthma prevalence or pain. Evidence for threshold effects was weak. We found weak evidence that small amounts of daily screen use is not harmful and may have some benefits.Conclusions There is evidence that higher levels of screentime is associated with a variety of health harms for CYP, with evidence strongest for adiposity, unhealthy diet, depressive symptoms and quality of life. Evidence to guide policy on safe CYP screentime exposure is limited.PROSPERO registration number CRD42018089483.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e023191.full |
| spellingShingle | Russell M Viner Neza Stiglic Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews BMJ Open |
| title | Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews |
| title_full | Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews |
| title_fullStr | Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews |
| title_short | Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews |
| title_sort | effects of screentime on the health and well being of children and adolescents a systematic review of reviews |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e023191.full |
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