Abstract
Radio, television (TV), movies, video games, cell phones, and computer networks have assumed central roles in our children’s daily lives. The media has demonstrated potentially profound effects, both positive and negative, on children’s cognitive, social, and behavioral development. Considering the increasing exposure of children to newer forms of media, we decided to review the current literature on the effects of media on child health both in the Western countries and India. It is widely accepted that media has profound influence on child health, including violence, obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, and risky sexual behaviors. Simultaneously, media may have some positive effects on child health. We need to find ways to optimize the role of media in our society, taking advantage of their positive attributes and minimizing their negative ones. We need to understand better how to reverse the negative impact of media and make it more positive.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Lenhart A, Madden M, Hitlin P. Teens and Technology: Youth Are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired and Mobile Nation [Report on the Internet]. Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life; 2007 [cited 2007 Jul 27]. Available from: URL: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/162/report_display.asp. Accessed November 14, 2009.
Kaiser Family Foundation study. Generation M: media in the lives of 8–18 year-olds. Available from: URL: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia030905pkg.cfm. Accessed November 14, 2009.
Arya K. Time spent on television viewing and its effect on changing values of school going children. Anthropologist 2004;6:269–271.
Bushman BJ, Huesmann LR. Short-term and longterm effects of violent media on aggression in children and adults. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006;160:348–352.
Ray M, Malhi P. Adolescent violence exposure, gender issues and impact. Indian Pediatr 2006;43:607–612.
Ray M, Malhi P. Reactions of Indian adolescents to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Indian J Pediatr 2005;72:217–221.
Thakur Y, Khokhar C.P. Mass media and children. Psycho-lingua 2001;31:135–138.
Geeta MG, Krishnakumar P. Television and suicidal behavior. Indian Pediatr 2005;42:837–838.
Sharif I, Sargent JD. Association between television, movie and video game exposure and school performance. Pediatrics 2006;118:e1061–e1070.
Hopf WH, Huber GL, Weiss RH. Media violence and youth violence. J Media Psych 2008;20:79–96.
Primack BA, Swanier B, Georgiopoulos AM, Land SR, Fine MJ. Adolescent media use and young adult depression: a longitudinal study. J Adolesc Health 2008;42:S5.
Christakis DA, Zimmerman FJ, DiGiuseppe DL, McCarthy CA. Early television exposure and subsequent attentional problems in children. Pediatrics 2004;113:708–713.
Acevedo-Polakovich ID, Lorch EP, Milich R. TV or not TV: questions and answers regarding television and ADHD. ADHD Rep 2005;13:6–11.
Zimmerman FJ, Christakis DA. ADHD and television: a reply to Barkley. ADHD Rep 2004;12:5–6.
Acevedo-Polakovich ID, Pugzles Lorch EP, Milich R, Ashby RD. Disentangling the relation between television viewing and cognitive processes in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and comparison children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006;160:354–360.
Bickham DS, Rich M. Is television viewing associated with social isolation? Roles of exposure time, viewing context, and violent content. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006;160:387–392.
Vandewater EA, Bickham DS, Lee JH. Time well spent? Relating television use to children’s free-time activities. Pediatrics 2006;117:181–191.
Kubey RW. Television use in everyday life: coping with unstructured time. J Commun. 1986;36:108–123.
Krosnick JA, Anand SN, Hartl SP. Psychosocial predictors of heavy television viewing among preadolescents and adolescents. Basic Appl Soc Psych. 2003;25:87–110.
Livingstone S, Lemish D. Doing comparative research with children and young people. In: Livingstone S, Bovill M, eds. Children and Their Changing Media Environment. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 2001:31–50.
Dietz WH Jr, Gortmaker SL. Do we fatten our children at the television set? Obesity and television viewing in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 1985;75:807–812.
Robinson TN. Television viewing and childhood obesity. Pediatr Clin North Am 2001;48:1017–1025.
Kuriyan R, Bhat S, Thomas T, Vaz M, Kurpad AV. Television viewing and sleep are associated with overweight among urban and semi-urban South Indian children. Nutr J 2007;6:25–28.
Stettler N, Signer TM, Suter PM. Electronic games and environmental factors associated with childhood obesity in Switzerland. Obes Res 2004;12:896–903.
Janz KF, Mahoney LT. Maturation, gender, and video game playing are related to physical activity intensity in adolescents: the Muscation Study. Pediatr Exerc Sci 1997;9:353–363.
Lewis MK, Hill AJ. Food advertising on British children’s television: a content analysis and experimental study with nine-year olds. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998;22:206–214.
Epstein LH, Paluch RA, Consalvi A, Riordan K, Scholl T. Effects of manipulating sedentary behavior on physical activity and food intake. J Pediatr 2002;140:334–339.
Wiecha JL, Peterson KE, Ludwig DS, Kim J, Sobol A, Gortmaker SL. When children eat what they watch: impact of television viewing on dietary intake in youth. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006;160:436–442.
Boynton-Jarrett R, Thomas TN, Peterson KE, Wiecha J, Sobol AM, Gortmaker SL. Impact of television viewing patterns on fruit and vegetable consumption among adolescents. Pediatrics 2003;112:1321–1326.
Epstein LH, Roemmich JN, Robinson JL, Paluch RA, Winiewicz DD, Fuerch JH, et al. A randomized trial of the effects of reducing television viewing and computer use on body mass index in young children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162:239–245.
Vaughan KK, Fouts GT. Changes in television and magazine exposure and eating disorder symptomatology. Sex Roles 2003;49:313–320.
Van den Berg P, Neumark-Sztainer D, Hannan PJ, Haines J. Is dieting advice from magazines helpful or harmful? Five-year associations with weight-control behaviors and psychological outcomes in adolescents. Pediatrics 2007;119;e30–e37.
Field AE, Cheung L, Wolf AM, Herzog DB, Gortmaker SL, Colditz GA. Exposure to the mass media and weight concerns among girls. Pediatrics 1999;103;e36.
Sargent JD, Beach ML, Adachi-Mejia AM, Gibson JJ, Titus-Ernstoff LT, Carusi CP, et al. Exposure to movie smoking: its relation to smoking initiation among US adolescents. Pediatrics 2005;116:1183–1191.
American Academy of Pediatrics: Committee on Public Education. Media education. Pediatrics 1999; 104: 341–343.
Times Now. Delhi High Court lifts smoking ban in films, TV. Available from: URL: http://news.bollysite.com/bollywood/hc-lifts-ban-onsmoking-in-films.html. Accessed November 14, 2009.
Grube JW, Waiters E. Alcohol in the media: content and effects on drinking beliefs and behaviors among youth. Adolesc Med Clin 2005;16:327–343.
Connolly GM, Casswell S, Zhang JF, Silva PA. Alcohol in the mass media and drinking by adolescents: a longitudinal study. Addiction 1994;89:1255–1263.
Primack BA, Kraemer KL, Fine MJ, MD, Dalton MA. Association between media exposure and marijuana and alcohol use in adolescents. J Adolesc Health 2008;42:S3.
Grunbaum JA, Kann L, Kinchen S, Ross J, Hawkins J, Lowry R, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 2003. MMWR Surveill Summ 2004;53:1–96.
Kunkel D, Eyal K, Finnerty K, Biely E, Donnerstein E. Sex on TV4: A Biennial Report to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Santa Barbara, Calif: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation; 2005. Available from: URL: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Sex-on-TV-4-Full-Report.pdf. Accessed November 14, 2009.
Collins RL, Elliott MN, Berry SH, Kanouse DE, Kunkel D, Hunter SB, et al. Watching sex on television predicts adolescent initiation of sexual behavior. Pediatrics 2004;114:e280–e289.
Ashby SL, Arcari, Edmonson MB. Television viewing and risk of sexual initiation by young adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006;160:375–380.
Peterson JL, Moore KA, Furstenberg FF Jr. Television viewing and early initiation of sexual intercourse: is there a link? J Homosex 1991;21:93–118.
Moreno MA, VanderStoep A, Parks MR, Zimmerman FJ, Kurth A, Christakis DA. Reducing at-risk adolescents’ display of risk behavior on a social networking web site. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2009;163;35–41.
Joshi PT, Parr AF, Efron LA. TV coverage of tragedies: what is the impact on children? Indian Pediatr 2008;45:629–634.
Holla RG, Gupta A. Media responsibility and child health. Indian Pediatr 2007;44:708–708.
Abrol U, Khan N, Shrivastva P. Role of parents in children’s television viewing. Childhood 1993;1:212–219.
Anuradha K, Bharathi VV. TV viewing and children’s academic achievement with reference to punishment patterns exercised by the parents. Psycho-lingua 2001;31:9–13.
American Academy of Pediatrics: Council on Communications and Media. Policy Statement-Media Violence. Pediatrics 2009; 124; 1495–1503.