The Swedish government has advised parents to stop letting their children watch television or use screens, and to limit older children’s screen time.
The Public Health Agency said children under two should not use digital media or watch TV at all. Kids aged two to five should have no more than one hour of screen time each day. Children aged six to 12 should spend no more than one or two hours a day in front of a screen.
Public Health Minister Jakob Forssmed said, “For too long, smartphones and other screens have been allowed to enter every aspect of our children’s lives.”
This advice follows a study showing that children who use phones or watch TV during meals are more likely to be overweight.
The agency also recommended that teenagers aged 13 to 18 should have no more than two to three hours of screen time per day.
Forssmed noted that teens aged 13 to 16 spend an average of six and a half hours a day on screens outside of school.
He said this leaves “a lot of time for communal activities, physical activity or adequate sleep” and highlighted a “sleep crisis,” noting that over half of 15-year-olds do not get enough sleep.
The health agency also suggested that screens should not be used before bedtime and that phones and tablets should be kept out of bedrooms at night. Research shows excessive screen use can lead to poor sleep, depression, and body dissatisfaction.
The Swedish government is also considering a ban on smartphones in primary schools.
