(RxWiki News) Kids who get three or more hours of screen time each day may face a raised risk of diabetes, a new study found.
Children who spend too much time watching TV, playing video games, or using a computer or smartphone may be more likely to have excess body fat and impaired insulin resistance — two risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
The researchers behind this study noted that past research has produced similar findings for adults.
This study looked at nearly 4,500 boys and girls in the United Kingdom who were ages 9 or 10. Children who reported getting three or more hours of screen time each day were more likely to display risk factors for diabetes.
"Our findings suggest that reducing screen time may be beneficial in reducing type 2 diabetes risk factors, in both boys and girls and in different ethnic groups from an early age," these researchers wrote.
Talk to your child's doctor about how much screen time is healthy for your child.
This study was published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
The National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care funded this research. The authors disclosed no potential conflicts of interest.
