Technology changes have brought about a profound alteration in the eating and activity habits of Americans. This increase in digital media usage has resulted in a nation that is larger than ever, and sadly, our students are not excluded from the effects. In the war against childhood obesity, screen time is one of our greatest enemies. With obesity being the most challenging health epidemic in the nation, the relationship between excessive technology use and obesity has been extensively researched. Since the 1980s, studies have been done to correlate the number of hours a child spends watching television to obesity and body mass index (BMI). The 21st-century child now has television, websites, streaming media, and social media competing for their undivided attention. Children who engage with more screen media also consume fewer fruits and vegetables; eat more calorie-rich snacks, drinks, and fast foods; and have a higher total calorie intake. Combined with a decrease in physical activity and reduced sleep, screen time makes weight management a challenge (Robinson et al., 2017). Our future generation is at risk for a variety of health complications and psychological concerns that include but are not limited to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, sleep and eating disorders, respiratory problems, depression, low self-esteem, difficulties with peer relationships, increased stress and anxiety, learning disabilities, and behavioral challenges (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2015). We now have a nation of youth who may not outlive their parents. It is imperative that we seriously consider the role that the technology overload plays in this scary statistic.
The Cognitive Crash
While there’s no denying that technology has its positive effects on cognition—such as increased task analyzation ability, multiple sources to gather information, and better spatial awareness—excessive technology usage by millennials is physically changing the brain’s gray matter and resulting in potentially permanent changes in brain function (Weng et al., 2013). Gray matter controls functions such as memory, muscle control, emotion, speech, decision making, self-control, and sensory perception. This cognitive crash is becoming more apparent with children born after the year 2000, who have embraced technology from infancy, some of whom could effectively manipulate a tablet screen before their first birthday. Consider this: On any given day, 29% of babies under the age of 1 year engage in about 90 minutes of screen time a day (Rideout, 2011) and up to more than four hours per day in the preschool years (Tandon, Zhou, Lozano, & Christakis, 2011). Without a doubt, our younger generation is living in a world that’s drastically different from 20 years ago. It isn’t surprising that this obsession with screen time is physically and psychologically changing the minds of children. In fact, Dr. Larry Rosen, a leading research psychologist, has coined the phrase iDisorder as
changes to your brain’s ability to process information and your ability to relate to the world due to your daily use of media and technology resulting in signs and symptoms of psychological disorders—such as stress, sleeplessness, and a compulsive need to check in with all of your technology. (Rosen, 2012)
Rosen also states that daily exposure to the blue light emitted from devices is leaving plaques on the brain of children—plaques that are similarly found in Alzheimer’s patients (National Geographic, 2018).
It is widely known that today’s youth are obsessed with their devices, particularly smartphones. Many children and teens have a super computer in their pocket that makes the world accessible to them 24/7. According to one report (Nielsen, 2017), 26% of American children get their first smartphone at age 8, while nearly 45% have one between the ages of 10 and 12. And while this technology may make it convenient to entertain kids on the go, excessive mobile technology has a negative impact on focus and cognitive function. Children may be less able to focus (or maintain focus) on tasks due to the constant desire to check their devices. Technology is overstimulating our brains and cutting out our creativity by depriving our brains of much-needed downtime (Richtel, 2010). Rosen states that technology “stifles your ability to live within boredom” (National Geographic, 2018) by eliminating the creativity that comes from daydreaming and relaxing. Today’s child is less likely to engage in free play and more likely to crave the constant stimulation that electronics provide. This need for stimulation, combined with the lack of imaginative play and self-soothing activities, produces kids who may be misdiagnosed with conditions that require the use of medication. Our ability to shut down has been compromised and children exhibit signs of insomnia, restlessness, and neurotic behavior. According to Dunkley (2012), the two most diagnosed disorders in pediatrics are childhood bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dunkley notes that the unnaturally stimulating nature of an electronic screen affects both our physical and mental health, a condition she calls electronic screen syndrome. Nowadays, situations that once would be considered “distraction-free zones,” such as school, church, or meetings at the office, are easily interrupted by the technology that hides in our pockets. These constant distractions are negatively affecting our cognitive control (the ability for our mind to override our impulses and help us make logical decisions). When faced with tasks that require our undivided attention, we need to choose our actions based on the goal at hand. Adolescents already have an immature system to regulate risky behavior; expecting them to override their impulses can often be unrealistic.
Adolescents and teens engage in several types of media at the same time throughout their day. It’s not uncommon to see a teen gaming online while video chatting with their friends, streaming music, and receiving snaps and texts on their phone all at the same time! But our brains are not built for media multitasking. In fact, what we have here is a distracted brain. Our brains are limited in their ability to pay attention. When it comes to technology, we aren’t actually multitasking; instead, we are switching back and forth from one activity to another (Gazzaley & Rosen, 2016). We are not selectively processing information based on priorities or goals; rather, we are jumping erratically back and forth from one activity to the next. This also encourages students to engage their attention in the activity that they find most interesting rather than most relevant, causing constant disruption. The distracted brain results in work that may be completed faster but at the cost of more stress and pressure, higher frustration, and increased effort (Gazzaley & Rosen, 2016).
The Mental/Emotional Roller Coaster
Today’s youth are using their devices most often to connect with their peers and social platforms. The digital age has created a world of interconnectedness for children, a place where news travels fast and someone is always watching. While the positive effects of this can be a sense of online community and belonging, there is another side that fosters a sense of competition, fear, and inadequacy. Consider the following studies:
A study at the University of Pittsburgh found a correlation between social media and negative body image. Kids who spent more time on social media had between 2.2 and 2.6 times the risk of eating and body image concerns compared to their peers who spent less time on social media.
A separate study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine showed that more time on social media increases the likelihood of sleep problems and symptoms of depression.
The UCLA Brain Mapping Center studied 13- to 18-year-olds and found that receiving a high number of likes on photos showed increased activity in the reward center of the brain (Hurley, 2018).
Adolescents and teens are living in a world where they are constantly on display in order to achieve social acceptance. The selfie-taking, Snapchatting, Instagraming world they live in is all about image and how many likes you can get. This social media madness results in a life riddled with anxiety and low self-esteem. The Royal Society for Public Health surveyed 14- to 24-year-olds about social media, and the results showed that all platforms led to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image, and loneliness (Ehmke, 2018). Teenagers are admitting to feeling depressed, hopeless, and considering suicide. Twenge (2017) and her colleagues conducted research that found a sudden increase in teens’ symptoms of depression, suicide risk factors, and suicide rates in 2012—around the same time that smartphones became popular. Twenge’s research found that teens who spend five or more hours per day on their devices are 71% more likely to have risk factors for suicide. Kids are watching the