Most parents around the world have one common problem: the screen time issue with their adolescent child. In this generation of technology, the time spent on electronic devices has been a debatable issue for most households. If you're among the parents having a problem with their teenage son or daughter and you have thought what can be the reason behind this screen time issue, worry no more. The culprit could be sugar or caffeine, or both.
A new study from McMaster University has come up with a conclusion, giving the parents one more reason to restrict their adolescent child's use of the electronic device. The researchers, headed by Dr. Katherine Morrison, a pediatrician, revealed their recent discovery that teenage individuals spending more time with electronic gadgets drink more caffeinated and sugary beverages. Concerning this, current data show that the overall caffeine consumption among adolescents is now a trend.
According to Dr. Morrison, "There is a trend toward reduced soda and energy drink consumption between 2013 and 2016." However, the pediatrician continues, greater use of an electronic device, specifically TV, is associated with consumption of caffeine and added sugar among the teenagers. In fact, many adolescents surpass the suggested daily sugar and caffeine levels, which the World Health Organization (WHO) established.
What Has Prolonged Screen Time Got to Do with These Beverages?
You're probably wondering why the prolonged screen time is associated with the said beverages. The researchers share their discovery that sugar and caffeine intake is more likely to increase based on the amount of screen time adolescents are exposed to. Although TV time is said to be the primary culprit of the teens' excessive caffeine and sugar consumption, the study also finds that time spent on mobile phones, social media, and laptop contribute too to these poor health habits.
Remarkably, an additional hour of TV watching each day is linked to a 32% higher risk of surpassing the WHO's daily recommendations for sugar intake. More so, every additional hour on the TV screen is also associated with a 28% higher chance of surpassing the caffeine recommendations of WHO.
Adverse Effects on Adolescents' Health
This latest finding showing the link between prolonged screen time and sugar and caffeine intake cites the adverse effects on the adolescents' health. Specifically, too much consumption of sugary beverages can lead to diabetes, poor sleep hygiene, dyslipidemia, and dental caries, to name a few. As for the caffeinated drinks, adverse health effects as listed in this research include headaches, sleep disorders, vomiting, elevated blood pressure, nausea, chest pain, and diarrhea.
In conclusion, in general, almost 30% of the teen respondents were discovered to have consumed too much sugar causing prolonged screen time whereas more than 20% of the young respondents were found to drink too much caffeine. With these results, the research team hopes for their findings to prove their value to parents who have the right to intervene with their adolescent children and work for the promotion of healthier habits.
