SUSTAINABILITY
relation to mobile phone use , from being unable to switch off to doom scrolling causing anxiety and bodyimage issues . According to a study by the National Library of Medicine , there are many musculoskeletal problems associated with excessive mobile phone use . Back pain and eye strain caused by postural instability , overuse of specific hand movements and ‘ text neck ’ are some modern discomforts , which may grow into serious long-term problems . This is especially risky for children , as developing unhealthy habits at a young age will become even harder to break . This , in conjunction with rising levels of childhood obesity , could spell a health crisis for today ’ s children , once they reach adulthood .
Research from the CDC shows that 72 % of high school students do not get eight hours of sleep each night , with smartphone use before bedtime cited as a contributing factor .
Meanwhile , the American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that children who spend over two hours a day on screens are more likely to be overweight , as the sedentary nature of screentime leads to a reduction in physical activity .
But some are fighting back . The WhatsApp group ‘ Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood ’ aims to support parents who feel pressured by their children to buy them a smartphone .
“ If lots of parents make an agreement not to buy their child a smartphone , it removes the pressure to do it ,” says founder Daisy Greenwell . “ WhatsApp groups have a limit of 2,000 people and it reached that limit in just a couple
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