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If you鈥檙e a parent, you鈥檒l be well-acquainted with one of the more hotly debated parenting topics: screen time and kids. On the one hand, screen time helps kids learn, develop creativity and supports social interaction and connection.

But too much screen time can negatively impact your child 鈥� not just their development but their physical health, too. So how exactly does screen time impact your child鈥檚 physical health? And how can you help them develop a positive relationship with screens?

听guidelines for screen time are part of its 24-hour movement guidelines. These prescribe the amount of time we should spend each day on physical activity, sleep and screen time to maintain physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The screen time guidelines, which are based on seated activity, recommend:

• no screen time for children under two
• no more than one hour of screen time for children aged two to five
• no more than two hours of recreational screen time outside of school work from the age of five to 17.

叠耻迟听听听to 23% of Australian pre-schoolers and 15% of 5 to 12-year-olds meet these听.

Children with higher screen time are more likely to engage in mindless eating and听. When they鈥檙e distracted by screens, kids can miss important signals from their brains letting them know they鈥檙e full.

They鈥檙e also more likely to crave and eat unhealthier foods. This is driven, in part, by junk food听听on screens.

The lesser-known way too much screen time affects a child鈥檚 diet is by impacting their sleep. For children and adolescents,听听is:

• 11 to 14 hours, including naps, for toddlers
• 10 to 13 hours, including naps, for three-to five-year-olds
• nine to 11 hours for kids aged five to 13
• eight to ten hours for teenagers.

Research shows a child鈥檚 ability to get adequate sleep is impacted by screen time. A听听of school-aged children and adolescents found screen time was associated with shorter and later sleep in 90% of the studies reviewed.

We need听听to regulate two essential hormones 鈥� ghrelin and leptin 鈥� that manage our hunger and appetite. Getting less than our recommended sleep听, resulting in an increased desire to eat.

It also leads to increased听听linked to food choices, which often results in us reaching for foods high in sugar, fats and salt for immediate gratification. So if your child is not getting the sleep they need, there鈥檚 a good chance they鈥檒l be using their pester power to satisfy their craving for sugary, fatty and salty foods the next day.

Finally, more time indoors looking at screens can mean less time being physically active. Australia鈥檚 guidelines听听children do at least 60 minutes each day of physical activity that makes the heart beat faster (or at least one hour of 鈥渆nergetic play鈥� for pre-schoolers). The 60 minutes doesn鈥檛 have to be all in one go 鈥� it can be made up of several shorter sessions through the day.

Fortunately, there are some practical steps you can take to ensure your child has a healthy relationship with screens and ensure they鈥檙e getting enough sleep and physical activity.

Consider guidelines for your child鈥檚 age and cover expectations for where, when and how screens are used. Young kids playing an educational game on a tablet in the family room might be OK, while watching YouTube in the bedroom might not.

Make mealtimes and the bedroom at bedtime screen-free zones. Involve your children, particularly teenagers, in the process to ensure everyone follows the rules.

Try establishing regular time in your family鈥檚 schedule for physical activity outdoors, whether a daily visit to the park or sports on the weekend. Making sure your child gets enough physical activity daily also supports their sleep and overall health.

Like rule-setting, involving your child in the activity choice will make them more willing to participate.

Kids closely observe and mimic their parents, so the best way to ensure your child has healthy screen time habits is to adopt them yourself. Apply rules to your own screen use at home, including being mindful of being distracted by never-ending notifications.

Ensuring your child鈥檚 bedroom is quiet, comfortable and dark enough is essential for a good night鈥檚 sleep. This includes being at a comfortable temperature (18掳C to 22掳C). Store toys and screens in other rooms so your child associates their bedroom with sleep time, not playtime.

The article was originally published inas "We鈥檙e told to limit kids鈥� screen time. But how does it actually affect their听health?" Written by Dr Nick Fuller,听 Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of Sydney.

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