YOUNG kids now spend an extra hour-and-a-half glued to screens each day — and it is harming their health, scientists warn.
A study revealed that all Brits’ device time has rocketed since Covid, leading to junk food diets, depression and aggression.
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Six to ten-year-olds have seen the biggest increase with an extra hour and 23 minutes per day, while adults are now watching 58 minutes more than before the pandemic.
All ages spend more time glued to their screens than they did in 2019.
Ofcom figures show teens and under-35s watched an average of four hours of TV a day in 2020, plus another hour of YouTube clips.
The research included 89 studies covering more than 200,000 people from around the world during 2020 and 2021.
It found 11 to 17-year-olds’ viewing time rose by 55 minutes and under-fives’ by 35 minutes.
Lead author Prof Shahina Pardhan, from Anglia Ruskin University, said that children who spend the most screen time are more likely to eat rubbish food, have eye problems, develop anxiety or be aggressive and have temper tantrums.
For adults, too much time on the sofa increases the risk of depression and loneliness, tiredness and weight gain.
Writing in the journal EClinicalMedicine, Prof Pardhan said: “There’s clear evidence that screen time should be reduced wherever possible to minimise negative outcomes.
“It is also important that non-sedentary activities are promoted to mitigate the risks of increased screen time.”