Scientists have named the maximum time that teenagers should spend in front of screens

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According to a study conducted by the University of Queensland, regardless of which screen a teenager interacts with (smartphone, TV or computer), serious consequences for physical and mental health occur after two hours of use.

Researcher Asad Khan, of the University of Queensland's School of Health and Rehabilitation, says the study is the first evidence that both passive and active screen time has a negative impact on adolescent mental well-being. More than 400,000 people participated in the study.

“Teenagers should not interact with screens for more than two hours a day, regardless of what kind of screen it is,” Khan notes.

Scientists found that adolescents who exceeded this limit were more likely to report psychosomatic symptoms, physical and psychological problems. Adolescents' psychological complaints included depression, irritability, nervousness, and sleep problems, and somatic headaches, abdominal pain, back pain, and dizziness.

Key findings of the study showed that adolescent boys who watched more than four hours of television hours a day, compared to those who watched less than two hours a day, were 67% more likely to report serious psychosomatic complaints, while girls were at a slightly higher risk of 71%.