Limiting Screen Time Crucial for Enhancing Children's Brain Health
Children need to reduce time spent in front of screens and increase physical activity and sleep duration to support lifelong brain health, according to a recent study published in the Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card 2026.
The report found that gadget use remains a challenge for adolescents. Among the participants studied in Scotland, only 20 per cent of adolescents met the recommendation to limit screen time to a maximum of two hours per day. However, around half of the adolescents exceeded the recommended screen time. Due to excessive screen time, these adolescents did not get sufficient sleep.
The report highlights various behaviours, environmental conditions, and social inequalities that influence the formation of lifelong brain health foundations. The study’s lead author, Dr Farid Bardid, a lecturer in Physical Activity and Health at the University of Strathclyde, emphasised that physical activity, screen time, and sleep quality affect brain health from an early age.
He explained that physical activity provides both short-term and long-term benefits for key cognitive functions, including reasoning, planning, and problem-solving abilities. These abilities play a crucial role in supporting children’s participation in school, family, and community life.
Meanwhile, Professor John Reilly from the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health at the University of Strathclyde, who also co-authored the study, said that excessive time spent in front of screens has displaced activities that actually support brain health, such as physical activity and adequate sleep. “This shift generally begins when children are four to five years old and continues to increase year by year as the child grows older,” he said.
Regarding screen time limits for children, the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI) recommends that children under 18 months should not be exposed to screens at all, with an exception only for video calls with family members. Children aged 18 to 24 months may be introduced to high-quality educational content on a very limited basis and must be fully accompanied by parents. For children aged 2 to 5 years, maximum screen time is one hour per day, with parental supervision to ensure the child understands the content being watched. Children aged 6 years and above are advised to have no more than 1.2 to 2 hours per day, and this time should preferably be outside of school learning requirements.