More screen time and less exercise are bad for kids’ mental health

More physical activity and less screen time is linked to better mental health in our kids. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers at Seattle Children’s Hospital found that less than 15 percent of teenagers are meeting the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. But the more physical activity children and teenagers got, the better their mental health. Specifically, more active young children exhibit less aggressive behavior or problems with impulse control. Older active children have fewer behavioral issues and fewer depression and anxiety symptoms. Along the same lines, parents should discuss guidelines around their kids' use of social media, such as limiting it to certain times of the day.