When it comes to screen time and kids, less is more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s according to a recent Denmark study led by Dr. Jesper Schmidt-Persson from the University of Southern Denmark. It looked at the effects of reduced screen media exposure on youth mental health<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eighty-nine families with a total of 181 children and teens were randomly assigned to one of two groups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first group had to surrender their smartphones and tablets<\/u><\/a> for a two-week period, and limit use of other screen media \u2014 such as TV and computers \u2014 to three hours or less per week, not counting work or school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The control group did not have any limitations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Families that limited kids’ screen exposure saw improvements in the children’s mental health \u2014 particularly in how the kids managed their emotions, communicated with peers and displayed behavioral difficulties. (Cyberguy.com)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The average ages of the children ranged from 4 to 17, averaging at 8 to 9 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The families filled out a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at the end of the study period that gauged the children\u2019s psychological symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The groups that limited kids’ screen exposure saw improvements in mental health<\/u><\/a> \u2014 particularly in how they managed their emotions and communicated with peers in helpful, considerate ways, plus a decrease in behavioral difficulties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The findings were published in JAMA Network Open last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fox News Digital reached out to the lead researcher for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory related to youth social media use, emphasizing mental health concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “There is evidence that children who have excessive screen time or access to social media at young ages are more likely to be depressed or anxious<\/u><\/a>,” Dr. Joshua Stein, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and clinical director at PrairieCare in Minnesota, previously told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory related to social media use among youth, emphasizing mental health concerns. (Matt Cardy\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The expert cited a Gallup research study from 2023, which noted that teens who were on screens more than five hours a day were 60% more likely to express suicidal thoughts or self-harm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Those children were 2.8 times more likely to have a negative body view and 30% more likely to describe \u2018a lot of sadness,\u2019” added Stein, who was not involved in the Denmark research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Access to smartphones and social media increases the risk of cyberbullying, depression, sleep-related concerns<\/u><\/a>, self-harm and body image issues, according to Stein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It can also lower self-esteem, and can socially pressure people to act outside their morals and family beliefs,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For kids ages 2 and older, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends capping screen time at two hours per day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It discourages any use of media for children younger than age 2, per its website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For kids ages 2 and older, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a cap of screen time at two hours per day. (iStock)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) outlines specific guidelines for each age group on its website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For babies up to 18 months, it recommends limiting screen use to video chatting with an adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between a child’s age of 18 month and 24 months, its guideline is to use screens only for\u00a0educational programming<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For kids between 2 and 5 years of age, the AACAP recommends a limit of one hour per weekday and three hours on weekends for any non-educational screen time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “To be honest and point blank, the least amount of screen time is healthy for children,” an expert told Fox News Digital. (Matt Cardy\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n It does not specify an hourly limit for ages 6 and older, but does recommend encouraging healthy habits<\/u><\/a> and limiting screen-based activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “To be honest and point blank, the least amount of screen time is healthy for children,” Dr. Zeyad Baker, a pediatric physician with Baker Health in New Jersey, previously told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He admitted that it gets trickier for parents to moderate use when kids need to do homework online \u2014 and he believes the quality of screen time comes into play when setting limits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n