What Impacts Children at Home Computer / TV No More than Two Hours?

For more than two hours a day watching television or playing "video games" on a computer can give a greater risk for children on psychiatric problems whatever their level of activity, according to a study in the UK on Tuesday.

The researchers from Bristol University surveyed more than 1,000 young children aged ten to 11 years. For more than seven days, they fill out a questionnaire that asks the intensity of the time they spent daily in front of the television or computer and answer questions that explain the state of their souls, including emotional, behavioral, and other relevant issues as a measure of behavior ( accelerometer) to monitor their physical activity.

The number of psychiatric complications is significantly difference of about 60 percent higher for small children who spent more than two hours during one day in front of one screen, compared with those who watch at less time, said the researchers report in the journal Pediatrics.

Figures for the excess is to be doubled for small children who spent more than two hours in front of both types of screens for a day.

The researchers found these results regardless of gender, age, stage of puberty, or level of education and economic ability and does not monitor the activity of the child for the rest of the day.

"We understand that physical activity is good for the health of soul and body in the child and there is some evidence that watching the screen that lead to negative behavior," said Dr. Angie Page told Reuters Health. "But it remains unclear whether physical activity levels will be" offset "spectacle on the screen height for small children."

The researchers found psychiatric problems is much increased if the child had daily training ranging from moderate to rigorous levels for less than an hour for the increasing spectacle on the screen.

However, physical activity was not present to compensate for the psychological consequences at the time that the screen spectacle.

The researchers say a fixed time is also not associated with good mental behavior. "It's much more to what you're doing at that time that remains to be important," said Page, explaining the lack of negative impact was found in activities such as reading and doing homework.

Page and his research team acknowledge some limitations in the research, including the potential inaccuracies of a child when filling the schedule of activities on the questionnaire.

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Source: Ant