How excessive screen time affects adults more than children?

Adults are also affected by excessive screen time with the negative consequences extending beyond children and creating a wide range of health and social dilemmas for them.

Adults must determine the proper boundaries for screen time, unlike children, according to Dimitri A Christakis, MD, a pediatrician at Seattle Children's Hospital and professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who spoke with Health.

“The erroneous assumption is that adults can use screens responsibly on their own,” he said.

UCLA assistant adjunct professor Yalda T Uhls, PhD, holds a different perspective. She wants that adults will stop criticising themselves for not getting enough screen time and instead consider more constructive ways to use media.

Even though adults might be more self-restraint than kids, this doesn't always translate into less screen time.

A 2023 digital report states that the average daily screen time for those between the ages of 16 and 64 worldwide is 6 hours and 37 minutes.

Adult Americans used screens for recreation an average of 28.5 hours per week during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A 2021 study verified that during the COVID-19 pandemic, screen use increased by several hours per day — some individuals recorded as much as 17.5 hours daily.

Furthermore, although adult screen time is undoubtedly excessive, children's screen time limits are prioritised due to strict guidelines by adults.