CHOP Researchers Urge No Smartphones Before 13 as 5-Hour Daily Use More Than Doubles Risks
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Jun 9
CHOP Researchers Urge No Smartphones Before 13 as 5-Hour Daily Use More Than Doubles Risks
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Jun 9
Summary
Age 13 should be the earliest children get smartphones, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers said, citing better mental-health outcomes than earlier adoption.
The study still found risks at 13—especially to sleep—while earlier findings linked getting a smartphone at 12 to higher odds of poor sleep, depression and obesity.
More than 5 hours of daily phone use more than doubled the risk of poor sleep, depression or obesity versus 2 hours or less.
Researchers recommended daily screen-time limits and keeping phones out of children’s bedrooms at night to reduce those health harms.