Giving Compass' Take:

• A study conducted by Lincoln R. Larson of North Carolina State University found an increase in screen time and a decrease in time spent outdoors among youth in rural areas.  

• An increase in screen time implies that those youth are at higher risk for physical, mental, and social well-being problems. How can schools and parents work to balance outdoor time and screen time for children? 

• Discover how much screen time is too much for kids. 

Even kids in rural South Carolina now spend more time in front of screens than outdoors in nature, according to a new study that appears in Environment and Behavior. The research found that this trend was more pronounced for girls, African American students, and older youth.

“Over the past 20 years, society has become increasingly concerned by a dramatic rise in children’s ‘screen time’ (for example, see this report on media in the lives of youth) and an associated decline in time spent outdoors in nature (for example, see the book Last Child in the Woods),” explained study author Lincoln R. Larson of North Carolina State University.

“The implications of this shift could have profound negative implications for youth development. However, much of this evidence is anecdotal and few studies have directly compared the screen time and outdoor time of youth — especially youth living in rural areas.

The researchers surveyed 543 sixth- to eighth-grade students across rural South Carolina. Overall, about 70% of the students reported spending at least 30 minutes outdoors in nature each day, while 40% reported spending more than 2 hours outdoors.

“These groups were also less connected to nature than their peers. The alarming patterns we observed could have significant implications for children’s physical, mental, and social health and well-being — especially among those groups at higher risk (e.g., girls and youth of color). We need to think about ways to moderate screen time and integrate more outdoor time into children’s lives to ensure that all youth are able to enjoy benefits associated with both activities.”

“This study provided some unique insight into the screen time vs. outdoor time conflict for youth, but many questions remain unanswered. How much outdoor time is needed to for children to experience developmental benefits, and what types of ‘natural’ settings are preferable?” Larson explained.

Read the full article about screen time by Jenette Restivo at Children & Nature Network.