Children and teenagers who spend prolonged hours in front of screens may face a significantly increased risk of developing heart and metabolic diseases; a new Danish study has found.
Published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the study monitored over 1,000 children aged 10 and 18, analyzing their screen time, sleep habits, and cardiometabolic health. The results revealed a strong correlation between increased screen exposure and risk factors such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance.
“Children and young adults who spend excessive hours glued to screens and electronic devices may have higher risks for cardiometabolic diseases,” the study noted.
According to lead author David Horner, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen, each additional hour of daily screen time leads to a measurable rise in disease risk. “A child with three extra hours of screen time per day would have roughly a quarter to half a standard-deviation higher cardiometabolic risk than their peers,” Horner explained.
He warned that when these individual risks are considered across a population, they represent a significant public health concern, potentially predisposing a generation to early-onset cardiovascular conditions and type 2 diabetes.
Although experts remain divided on the full extent of screens’ long-term effects on youth, most agree that children and adolescents are more vulnerable than adults.
The findings come amid growing global concern about digital dependency among younger populations, prompting renewed calls for balanced screen use and increased physical activity.
Written By Rodney Mbua
