A study published in the journal 'Pediatrics' has found that children who own a smartphone at age 12 are more prone to depression, obesity, and poor sleep compared to those who do not. Researchers analyzed data from over 10,500 children in the largest long-term U.S. study on adolescent brain development. The study showed that the younger a child was when they first got a smartphone (under 12), the higher their risk of obesity and sleep problems. Experts highlight that adolescence is a sensitive period where even minor changes in sleep or mental health can have profound and lasting effects. Researchers advise parents to trust their instincts and delay giving their children smartphones until everyone, including the parents, is prepared. Parents must make a significant effort to set up protections and boundaries. Dr. Jason Nagata points out that removing phones from bedrooms at night is a simple step families can take to mitigate some negative health effects, though he acknowledges the difficulty in enforcing this. Dr. Ran Barzilai, the lead author of the study, emphasizes: 'When you give your child a phone, you need to think of it as something important for their health and act accordingly.' While the new study shows only a correlation and not causation, researchers point to previous studies indicating that smartphone owners spend less time on socializing, exercise, and sleep—all crucial for health. A recent Pew Research Center report found that nearly all American teens now have a smartphone.
