Extra hour of TV ‘can lower exam results’

Watching TV and spending time online could rob teenagers of success in exams, research has shown.

A study that tracked the progress of 845 students between the ages of 14 and 16 found that every extra hour they devoted to TV viewing, internet use, or playing computer games reduced their scores by the equivalent of two grades.

While reading and homework improved performance, it could not make up for long periods of time in front of a screen.