Conventional parenting wisdom may have just been upended.
A new study from Finland found that children who have a higher amount of screen-time consumption were associated with better cognitive processing in their adolescence – offering another perspective on how parents should address time spent online in early life.
The research, which published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatric Exercise Science, suggests that screen time should not be regarded as solely harmful, arguing that striking a balance between physical activity and screen time is vital to promote active thinking.
For adolescents, physical activity has been known to prompt brain function, while a more sedentary lifestyle is linked to decreased achievement in school. This study sought to find a connection between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and screen time from childhood to cognitive processing during adolescence.
“What surprised us most was that more cumulative screen time from childhood to adolescence was associated with better performance on cognitive outcomes in adolescence,” Petri Jalanko, doctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä and author of the study, told Inc.
What is essential, though, is what the children are doing during their screen time.
“Teachers and parents should encourage children to use devices and screens in ways that promote active thinking, problem-solving, creativity and learning,” Jalanko said.
The findings come from the Panic study, a long-running project on children’s physical activity and nutrition run through the Universities of Jyväskylä and Eastern Finland. The researchers looked at 260 children aged six to nine and analysed their changes during an eight-year period.
To track movement, they used a device combining heart rate and motion sensors, as well as questionnaires where kids reported their own guided exercise, unsupervised exercise, and screen time.
The researchers measured learning, attention, and working memory in students’ brains using a cognitive test called the Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB). They then compared those scores against years of activity and screen data, dividing the results by sex and by the activity’s intensity.
For girls, higher amounts of low-intensity physical activity from childhood were associated with a better working memory in adolescence. For boys, a similar outcome came from increased amounts of guided physical activity.
The researchers said they found it surprising that less self-reported unsupervised physical activity was connected to better cognitive processing during participants’ adolescence. Essentially, those who reported doing less exercise on their own tended to score better on thinking tests as teenagers – the opposite result of what they expected.
Even given these outcomes, researchers push for a measured approach.
“To enhance learning, aim for a balanced lifestyle by carefully regulating active screen time, consistently participating in physical activity, eating a healthy and nutritious diet, and getting enough sleep,” Jalinko told Inc “Adopting healthy habits will support your learning process.” – Inc./Tribune News Service
