A recent study has found that children who use smartphones or watch television while eating meals are more likely to gain weight.
According to researchers at the University of Minho in Portugal, children distracted by screens during meals may not realize when they’re full.
The researchers stated that children who were allowed to use smart devices or watch television while eating were 15% more likely to become overweight compared to those who were not allowed screen time during meals.
The team studied the eating habits of 735 children aged between 6 and 10 years old. They asked each child about the foods they had consumed in the past 24 hours and asked parents about their rules regarding screen use during mealtimes.
The researchers presented their findings at the European Congress on Obesity held in Venice on Saturday, noting that the actual numbers may be higher, as some parents may not have admitted to allowing their children to use screens during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Dr. Ana Duarte, lead researcher, said:
“When children eat while watching something on TV or a mobile phone, they keep eating because the screens distract them.”
Tam Fry, co-founder of the Child Growth Foundation, added:
“Obese children are now developing diseases like diabetes, which used to affect only adults. Clearly, letting children eat mindlessly in front of the television harms their health. Sadly, this has become a lifestyle for many families,” according to the Daily Mail.
Source: Skynews Arabic