Screen time overload can result in weight gain in children because they might be:

• Less active while they're watching screens
• Mindlessly snacking during that time
• Getting swayed by junk food ads. These commercials can seriously impact a child's food choices of what they want to eat, what they ask their parents to buy at the shops, and what they end up eating.
•  And let's not forget, when screen time keeps children up late at night, it can also mess with their sleep, contributing to weight gain.

Staying glued to screens can lead to weaker muscles, especially in young children under 6 years old. Studies show that too much screen time is linked to lower physical strength and reduced gross motor skills. The World Health Organization recommends an hour of moderate to intense physical activity per day for kids aged 5 to 17, but research suggests that this isn't enough to counterbalance the harmful impact of screens.

Staring at screens for too long can lead to sleep trouble, thanks to the blue light emitted from screens which messes with the body's natural production of melatonin. Not only can screen time shorten the amount of sleep children get, but it can also make it harder for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. Good quality sleep is crucial for developing their brain, especially during childhood and adolescence, and it can have a big impact on how well they do in school.

Spending too much time in front of screens can lead to reduced face-to-face time with friends and greater feelings of isolation. It's important to note though that when managed properly, screens can also help children connect with others, foster creativity, facilitate idea exchange, and enhance interpersonal skills.

Research has shown that too much screen time can lead to behavioral problems like hyperactivity and struggles with focus and attention span.

Spending too much time in front of screens can have negative impacts on mood and overall well-being. It has been linked to increased feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as issues with self-esteem caused by constant comparison to others on screens or the stereotypical representation of characters and people. These negative effects can take a toll on both adults and children alike.

More screen time means less play time and interactions with others, which can affect cognitive, motor and language development. For children less than 2 years old, television viewing has mostly negative associations, especially for language and cognitive function. For preschool-aged children, television viewing has been found to have both positive and negative outcomes.

Positive benefits of screen time in children over 2 years of age are more likely to occur when:

•  there is high-quality media content
• strategies are used to support a child's development (e.g labelling of objects, characters speaking directly to the child, allowing opportunities for the child to respond)
• there is co-viewing with an adult.

Watching violent and negative content on screens can 'normalise' this behaviour, children can also be exposed to bullying and inappropriate messages or content.

As a result of less time outdoors, less blinking, dry eyes, eye strain and fatigue.

As a result of being hunched over screens and holding a poor posture for lengthy periods.

This has been observed in children who have excessive amounts of screen time (more than 7 hours per day) and can affect a child's ability to plan and their levels of empathy. 

Weak impulse control has been associated with heavy use of mobile phones or tablets,  multi-tasking with many different forms of media, and excessive television watching (>3 hours per day). 

Children who watch more television at a young age may exhibit less school readiness. This can manifest as less classroom engagement, decreased vocabulary, and less knowledge about numbers, and is more likely to occur when a child has excessive screen time that is unsupervised.