Children who receive smartphones before age 13 face significantly higher risks of depression, obesity, and sleep deprivation, according to new research published in the journal Pediatrics. The study reveals a troubling pattern: the younger a child is when they receive their first smartphone, the greater their likelihood of developing these health conditions.
Dr. Ran Barzilay, the study’s lead author and a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, emphasizes that the research adds compelling evidence to growing concerns about early smartphone access. The question of when to give children their first phone is one that resonates personally with him as well. “I have a nine-year-old who wants a phone, and I think [this] is a question that is relevant for every parent of a kid going into adolescence, even before adolescence,” said Barzilay, who also serves as an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
The study analyzed data from more than 10,000 participants, examining children between ages 9 and 16 from 2016 to 2022. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, University of California Berkeley, and Columbia University collaborated to assess how smartphone ownership and timing affect youth health outcomes.
What risks did the study reveal?
Twelve-year-olds who owned smartphones showed 1.6 times higher risk of insufficient sleep, 1.4 times higher risk of obesity, and 1.3 times higher risk of depression compared to their peers without devices. Perhaps most concerning, each year earlier that a child received a smartphone increased these risks by approximately 10 percent, with some children receiving devices as young as age four.
Even children who received smartphones at age 13 showed worse mental health outcomes and poor sleep patterns within just one year of ownership. “This was quite surprising, I must say,” Barzilay noted. “We designed the study with a question in mind to try and test it, but to find it was quite compelling.”
What should parents take away from this research?
While the study demonstrates association rather than direct causation, its results are similar to what many other researchers have found. Mental health and child development experts agree that families should pay attention to the quality and quantity of screentime, as well as engage in thoughtful discussions before deciding whether a child is ready for smartphone ownership.
Barzilay stresses that the findings should not shame parents who have already given young children phones, acknowledging that his own older children received smartphones before age 12. However, he recommends implementing safeguards such as keeping phones out of bedrooms every night and ensuring children engage in plenty of activities without their devices.
