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Kids who have smartphones by age 12 have higher risk of depression, obesity: Study
Studies of over 10,000 children show earlier smartphone ownership is linked to higher risks of ADHD symptoms, depression, obesity, and sleep problems, researchers say.
- On December 1, 2025, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia published in Journal Pediatrics that owning a smartphone by age 12 is linked to higher depression, obesity and insufficient sleep.
- Researchers link early phone ownership to reduced sleep and less physical activity, while experts cite online comparison and social media as harms noted by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- The analysis drew on data from more than 10,500 children in the National Institutes of Health-funded Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, noting median first-phone age 11 and 63.6% smartphone ownership among ABCD participants.
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The question of at what age a child should get their first smartphone eludes all parents. More and more studies are emerging – and the vast majority point in the same direction: Wait as long as possible.
·Stockholm, Sweden
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Hawaii Tribune-Herald+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
A smartphone before age 12 could carry health risks, study says
What is the “right” age to get your child a smartphone? It’s a question that vexes many parents — torn between their pleading tweens and researchers who warn about the potential harms of constant connectivity. But new study findings strengthen the case for holding off.
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Total News Sources67
Leaning Left17Leaning Right4Center24Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Center
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources are Center
53% Center
L 38%
C 53%
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