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The place in the house where children watch television or play video games seems silly, but it is not. Having the device in the room increases the risk of obesity and increases the chances of worsening school performance.

This may seem intuitively true, but it was first verified by a study conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa.

The study shows that children who have a television in the bedroom spend less time reading, sleeping or participating in other activities, and it has a ripple effect on other aspects of life. As a result, they have poor school performance and a higher risk of obesity.

Also, because there is a TV in the room, the content that children can access is outside of parental control. Most of the time, kids watch shows and play games instead of watching kids’ TV shows or being in shared spaces.

Published on Unplash by Satria Perkasa

It is easier to say no at first and not install a television in the children’s room.

Other studies have measured the amount of time children spend in front of the screen and this amount continues to grow. Now that more and more children and adolescents have access to digital devices, time is growing rapidly and with them the effect of being in front of a screen: sedentary lifestyle and lack of reading.

For many parents, limiting the time and content that children watch or play on TV or mobile phones is a real battle.

Although it is not the definitive solution, the authors recommend leaving the devices and screens out of the children’s room.

It may be a short-term battle, but it will benefit children in the long run, they say.