- Children spend nearly a year watching TV before they are seven, MP warns
- Tory MP Tim Loughton says children should return to playing outside
- Psychologist suggests children at risk of lifelong dependency on TV
- Research shows 12 to 15-year olds spend six hours a day staring at screens
24
View
comments
Children spend nearly a year slumped in front of the TV or staring at computer screens by the time they are seven, a former children’s minister has warned.
Tim Loughton said this screen addiction in youngsters could cause changes in the brain similar to those seen in cocaine addicts and alcoholics.
In a report titled ‘The state our children are in’ for the charity 4Children, the Tory MP cited research by a psychologist suggesting today’s children were at risk of a lifelong dependency on TV and computer screens.
Telly addicts: Children spend nearly a year slumped in front of the TV or staring at computer screens by the time they are seven, a former children’s minister has warned
The research by Dr Aric Sigman warned that a generation of kids could suffer damage to the body as well as the brain as a result.
In the essay, Mr Loughton called for a crackdown on the ‘health and safety’ mentality that stopped children taking part in rough and tumble activities.
He cited NHS statistics that showed half as many children are being admitted to hospital after falling out of a tree than they were ten years ago.
Fear: MP Tim Loughton said screen addiction in youngsters could cause changes in the brain similar to those seen in cocaine addicts and alcoholics
In contrast, kids are twice as likely to
go to casualty for injuries caused by repetitive strain movements, such
as playing computer games for too long, than a decade ago.
He said: ‘Should the state be intervening to rebalance the average child’s day, when they’re spending – on average – ten times as long on the computer or watching TV as playing outside?
The research by Dr Sigman showed 12 to 15-year olds spend on average more than six hours a day staring at screens.
At the time, he called for a ban for toddlers and severely rationed for other youngsters and will warn that parents who use technology as a ‘babysitter’ could be setting up their children for a lifetime of ill health.
His work and studies by other researchers link time spent in front of screens with health problems including obesity, high cholesterol and blood pressure, inattentiveness and declines in maths and reading, as well as sleep disorders and autism.
In the report, Mr Loughton called for the relationship between the state and families to be rebalanced.
Noting that there had been 100 Acts of Parliament in the last 25 years affecting children, he questioned whether these had ‘strengthened families’.
He said: ‘The approach I have always favoured [is] where the State is there to serve, to enable, to promote the family, not to stifle it, nor to direct or supplant, other than in those severe cases where neglect or cruelty harms the children
The MP for East Worthing and Shoreham also said that a toxic concoction of 24 hour social media, the sexualisation of childhood and pressures to ‘fit in’ and achieve were fuelling a ‘quarter life crisis’ among today’s young people.
or comment on this article
-
Dashcam: Cop pushes over paraplegic in wheelchair
-
Drunk rich kid brags ‘my dad owns half of Manhattan’
-
Lion cub gets stuck up a buffalo derrière during feeding…
-
Grandma gets a shock as shark tries to attack her through…
-
Heartwarming moment woman pays for stranger’s diapers
-
After four months Timo FINALLY works out how to use hammock
-
Adorable dog is determined to play fetch with a statue
-
Incredible moment lightning strikes the ground in New York
-
Playful pup loves her new water fountain
-
Horrific racist rant at passengers on a NSW train
-
Meet the world’s oldest conjoined twins
-
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in action
-
Revealed: Father of toddler who died in a hot car ‘spent the…
-
Mayor demands police investigation after British girl is…
-
British mother abandons her three children to marry Texas…
-
American nurse who was arrested for trying to join ISIS set…
-
Three years after being cleared of murder Casey Anthony is a…
-
The bomb disposal expert who has ALWAYS kept a smile on his…
-
Incredible video shows moment giant blue whale capsizes…
-
Orphan Davion Only who became famous when he made emotional…
-
Get ready for weather havoc on the Fourth of July: Brooklyn…
-
‘You look like a f****** w**** in that outfit!’ Yankee…
-
‘It’s conservation!’ Cheerleader stokes controversy over…
-
Now he’s playing defense! NFL Hall of Famer embroiled in…
Comments (20)
what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
deirdre8,
sheffield, United Kingdom,
8 minutes ago
My children have barely had the TV on since the nice weather plenty of football’s and.games to play in the garden. In the winter they watch more but they tend to get bored of it and switch it off!!
Thomas,
Nottm, United Kingdom,
11 minutes ago
I’d say it is even worse. The amount of times you see children in buggies playing on an Iphone! At this point i expect red arrows but it is usually families too that are on benefits smoking a joint.
Whats his name,
London, United Kingdom,
16 minutes ago
Television is at an all time low.
Missfreedomofspeech,
Bolton, United Kingdom,
17 minutes ago
ridiculous Ive always watched tv, played computer games and played outside
Justsayin,
Cornwall, United Kingdom,
17 minutes ago
My Husband is a TV addict, half the time he doesn’t even know what’s on, but it always had to be on. As soon as my 2yr old started screaming the house down because she wanted to watch the telly it was turned OFF! Her telly is limited to 1hr a day in the Summer and 2hrs in the winter, when it’s cold and raining, the rest of the of the time is toys books and puzzles. The hardest part is constantly reminding my Husband where the off button is, it’s actually put a strain on our marriage. For myself I do enjoy a good mystery film but as for the day to day drivel and violence people watch, it’s no wonder peoples brains are getting fried.
george72,
poole, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
For proof see earlier article of mother and ten year old daughter obsessed with selfies. Enough said!!!
MissHellFire,
Liverpool, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
I never allowed my children to watch tv in the morning, and only for a limited time when they came home from school, now they are both at top unis.
Z Fynyx,
Clacton, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
Tv needs to go back to how it was when I was small. Two hours after school, three hours on a saturday other than that just normal programmes. These dedicated children channels we have today make it too easy for lazy parents.
daveonbenefits,
the dole office, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
this is due to disgusting parenting,these idiots aint got a clue how to bring kids up these failures use the t.v as a baby sitter which is TOTALLY wrong…………it will all end very badly………fact.
Saltire Sue,
Edinburgh, United Kingdom,
31 minutes ago
Spencer,
Nottingham, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
Good news for the state. Everyone addicted to tv. The mainstream tv propaganda these days is quite extreme. Once Europe is complete we can just call it the “telescreen†and be done.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Find out now