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Smartphone use has been linked to soaring teenage obesity and depression rates, sparking fresh concerns over when children should be introduced to the devices.
A new study of more than 1,950 adolescents found that owning a smartphone by age14 was associated with higher risks of depression, obesity, and poor sleep.
Teenagers who had a phone by this age and spent around five hours a day on it were more than twice as likely to suffer from depression and obesity.
Researchers said a lack of sleep is driving the trend, with excessive screen time posing a growing threat to children's mental and physical health.
They concluded that keeping phones out of the bedroom at night and limiting screen time could help mitigate the risks.
'Time on the smartphone and nighttime bedroom access are modifiable elements that matter,' Dr Ziv Bren, study lead author and adolescent health specialist, said.
'Clinicians and caregivers may use these results to implement straightforward, evidence-based practices and policymakers might consider these findings when shaping guidance on youth technology use.
'The most practical way to protect adolescent health in this digital era is to allow age-appropriate smartphone access while actively managing both smartphone time and nighttime phone access.'
Parents could soon be warned against buying their children a smartphone until they reach secondary school
Unlike other screens - which have been criticised for stunting toddler's ability to speak - smartphones are characterised by constant availability, serving as platforms for communication, watching films, and school-related tasks.
This creates the unique opportunity for prolonged engagement that differs from watching television, gaming or streaming music - putting immense strain on youngsters' developing brains.
The first-of-its-kind study, led by experts at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, analysed how the age of first-use impacted physical and mental health.
The team analysed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, which enlists children from ages 9-10, with annual assessments through their teenage years.
This allowed them to compare children who were given a phone when they were 13 with those who still didn't have one by their 14th birthday.
The 1,959 youngsters who didn't have a phone at 13-years-old tended to come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and were more likely to be boys.
Of these, 1,230 acquired a phone between 13 and 14-years-old.
These children were around 4 per cent more likely to be depressed and obese.
Data suggests that the number of overweight and obese adolescents rose sharply during the Covid pandemic
A third of youngsters with a phone at this age reported insufficient sleep, compared to just a quarter of those who didn't have one.
A shocking 95 per cent of teenagers who were allowed a phone at this age reported spending around 17 hours a week on their phone, which equates to nearly 2.5 hours a day.
Over 100 children spent more than five hours a day on their devices, whilst the majority were restricted to less than two.
These children were more than twice as likely to be depressed and nearly three times as likely to be obese.
Overall, results suggested that giving a child a smartphone at age 13 didn't increase their risk of depression or obesity at 14, but was linked with poor sleep.
However, among youngsters who acquired a phone between 13 and 14, greater screen time was associated with depression, obesity and insufficient sleep at 14.
'Collectively, findings suggest age 13 years by itself is not independently associated with worse outcomes, but certain usage patterns may still bear risk,' the team concluded.
'These findings support counselling families on delayed smartphone acquisition and structured use limits, providing clinicians with an evidence-based threshold for practice and public health efforts.'
It comes as ministers are set to issue guidance for the first time on screen use for children five to 16 years old.
In new official guidance, families will be issued recommendations about what constitutes responsible and 'healthy' levels of screen time for their children, as well as tips on when they should receive their first phone.
The guidance is expected to be published later this year, following growing concern about the levels of screen time children are exposed to and increased pressure on the Government to implement a social media ban for under-16s.
Earlier today, in a speech at London Tech Week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that he was going to make it illegal for minors to send and receive naked photographs.
He said: 'One issue is the ability for children with phones to send and receive nude images.
'For too long, people have been told that is simply the price of modern tech, that nothing can be done, that Government is powerless, that parents just have to accept it.
'I reject that completely, because tech should adapt to the needs of society, not the other way around.'
He added: 'That is why today I am calling on tech companies operating in this country to introduce device controls that prevent children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images.
'Because this is not an impossible challenge. These are some of the most innovative companies in the world and I believe they can solve it.
'But if they choose not to, then we will act and we will change the law because when it comes to the safety of our children, standing by is not an option.'
The changes will apply to both existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets in the UK.
Legislation could cover operating systems such as Apple's iOS and Google's Android and other forms in the supply chain, such as retailers selling phones and tablets.
Officials said changes will not affect the use of devices owned and used by adults who verify their age.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: 'As a society, we have not kept pace with the changing threats that children face. Abuse online is far too common, and we will not tolerate it.
'Tech companies have a moral duty to act, by making it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images. If they don't, we will legislate.'
Officials said Apple was already taking action with age checks for iPhone users, making it the first company to activate safety features by default for under-18s.
But nudity detection is not applied to the camera, third-party messaging apps or search functions, meaning children can still take, view, share and save naked pictures.