Beyond the Screen: Building Healthier Habits
By Alissa Thiele, Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center
Screens are part of everyday life for most children and teens, but too much screen time can affect more than attention or sleep—it can also affect physical health. According to Children and Screens, digital media use can contribute to health concerns such as childhood obesity by encouraging sedentary behavior, exposing children to frequent advertisements for unhealthy foods, and competing with more active forms of play and entertainment.
Research has found a correlation between lower childhood BMI and reduced screen time. One possible factor is how much food and beverage advertising children see online. Research from the University of Illinois Chicago found that children under age 12 see about 1,000 food-related ads each year on average, with 60% promoting unhealthy products such as sugary drinks, snacks, and high-fat foods. Food and beverage ads featured in kid influencer videos and social media content can also receive billions of views from children each year.
As caregivers, we can take steps to help children build healthier habits around both food and screens. Start by limiting distracted or mindless eating, especially while using electronics. If children ask for a snack, consider pairing a pre-portioned treat with healthier options to help teach balance rather than restriction.
We’ve all heard that we should schedule or limit screen time—and follow through—but it’s just as important to intentionally make time for what replaces it. Encourage outdoor activities, creative play, family time, sports, or other activities that get kids moving and engaged. Even technology itself can be used differently by choosing apps, games, or videos that encourage physical activity instead of mindless scrolling.
And don’t forget that children are watching our habits, too. Kids see how often parents and caregivers reach for their devices, even when we’re doing something productive like reading the news, answering an email, or reading a book. Creating healthier screen habits doesn’t have to mean eliminating technology. It means helping children learn that screens are just one part of a healthy, balanced day—and showing them what that balance looks like ourselves.