Bedroom gadgets ‘put children at risk of obesity’

TVs, tablets, and smartphones should be kept out of children’s bedrooms as lack of sleep is putting them at risk of being overweight.

The latest phase of Safefood’s campaign to reduce childhood obesity calls on parents to make bedrooms screen-free zones and to charge phones and tablets elsewhere at night.

The group said research repeatedly showed an association between sleep and weight in children.

An analysis of 11 international studies found children with sleep duration of less than 11 hours had a 58% increased risk of overweight and obesity than other children who had more sleep and for each additional hour of sleep, the risk was reduced by 9%.

The group also highlighted a Growing Up in Ireland study which found that two thirds of nine-year-olds watch one to three hours of television a day, with 10% watching three hours or more. Almost half of nine- year-olds were found to have a TV in their bedroom while more than one in three (35%) have a TV and DVD player. These figures do not include time spent by children playing video games, on computers, tablets or smartphones.

A recent Safefood online survey found 63% of parents said they didn’t think their child got enough sleep while 77% have said they have tried to reduce their child’s screentime.

Consultant general and respiratory paediatrician at Temple Street Children’s University Hospital Dr Fiona Healy said that she was seeing more children with weight issues where a lack of sleep or not enough quality sleep are significant factors.

“What also doesn’t help is that children’s sleep is increasingly delayed or interrupted by the number of multiple screens in the home — whether that’s smartphone, laptop, tablet or television.

“This screen time is having a negative effect on children’s sleep and as a consequence, their health and weight.”

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