WHO suggests one hour maximum screen time for kids younger than 5 years

WHO advised, under-fives should also be physically active and get sufficient sleep to develop good lifelong habits and prevent obesity and other diseases in later life

WHO Children Screen time

The World Health Organization (WHO) in its report suggested that kids younger than 5 years should not spend more than an hour on watching television and videos or playing computer games. The report also went on to say that infants less than one year old should not be exposed to electronic screens at all.

Issuing its first such guidelines, WHO advised, under-fives should also be physically active and get sufficient sleep to develop good lifelong habits and prevent obesity and other diseases in later life.

Dr. Fiona Bull, WHO expert said, “What we are cautioning on is over-use of those electronic screen times with young children.”

The guidelines also stated that infants between one and four years old should spend at least three hours in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day. While infants under one should interact in floor-based play and avoid all screens.

Not being indulged in physical activities at an early age is resulting in an increase in the number of obesity today. Over-weight can lead to premature death from heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and some forms of cancer.

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Bull said, “One in three adults today are overweight or obese, and one in four adults does not do enough physical activity.”

She also added, "In this age group of under 5s, it is currently 40 million children around the world are overweight. Of that 50 percent are in Africa and the southeast Asia region.” That translates into 5.9 percent of children globally.

 


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