Cellphone Ownership Can Be Detrimental to Adolescent Health: Study
A new study by researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found a link between cellphone ownership and higher rates of obesity and insufficient sleep among children. Owning a phone at age 12 “was associated with increased risks of depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep, with younger age of acquisition linked to additional risks of obesity and insufficient sleep.” The study was done in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University in New York.
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Cellphones should be viewed as “a significant factor in teen health,” said Dr. Ran Barzilay, a child psychiatrist and lead author of the study. But there are also benefits to ownership, he noted. For many teens, smartphones can “play a constructive role by strengthening social connections, supporting learning, and providing access to information and resources that promote personal growth,” and “some families may view a smartphone as a necessity for safety or communication.”