Children in Cyprus exceed safe screen limits, survey finds

The children’s health observatory, Children First, released findings showing that most children in Cyprus aged six and seven spend more time on screens than recommended.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that children aged five to 13 should limit screen use to two hours a day.

The observatory’s survey found that the median time spent watching movies, television shows and entertainment programmes was 1.5 hours daily on both weekdays and weekends, while gaming averaged 45 minutes on weekdays and 1.5 hours at weekends.

The observatory warned that prolonged and unmonitored screen use can foster digital addiction and harm psychosocial and physical health.

It highlighted evidence from the European Family study involving Cypriot children, which showed that more than two hours of internet and multimedia use daily reduces mental well-being, lowers self-esteem, strains family relationships, and encourages sedentary behaviour, contributing to overweight and obesity.

“The systematic and increased exposure of children to screens has serious negative implications,” the observatory said.

Established in 2022 and coordinated by the Cyprus University of Technology in collaboration with the University of Cyprus, the observatory monitors health and environmental indicators for children in 22 schools across Cyprus.

It communicates individual results securely to parents while reporting aggregated data to authorities and the scientific community.

Research also stresses the role of parental behaviour in shaping children’s screen habits.

Studies show that children are more likely to emulate parents who spend excessive time on devices, and that high parental screen use during routines such as mealtimes reduces responsiveness and interaction.

Experts emphasise that adults also face risks from prolonged sedentary screen use, including impaired blood sugar regulation, reduced cognitive function, and eye strain.

Simple measures such as regular breaks, light exercise every 30 minutes, and substituting passive scrolling with mentally engaging activities can mitigate harm.

The observatory recommends institutional and parental strategies to foster balanced screen habits, ensuring children develop healthy routines and avoid the negative consequences of digital overexposure.