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This study suggests the impact cell phones and tablets could have on children's body growth.
Scientists have long suspected that there is a connection between the use of cell phones by many children and the earlier onset of puberty. A study from Turkey shows that this actually exists. These are the exact results.
We parents know how muchit aroundcan give. And how unbalanced children can be if they have been stuck in front of it for too long. Studies also show that too much screen time has negative effects on children. This is how it can happenof children. But sleep disorders, behavioral problems or concentration problems can also be the result of excessive screen time.
Various studies have also suggested in the past that there is a connection between the blue light of the devices and thecould happen to more and more children. However, this has never been examined in more detail so far. Until now.
Scientists at Gazi University in Turkey have examined the question of what influence the blue light emitted from the screens of mobile devices could have on the body. They investigated this using animal experiments on rats.
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Blue light affects bone growth
To do this, the researchers divided 18 male and 18 female rats into three equal groups. One group had no contact with blue light, the other two were exposed to it for 6 and 12 hours, respectively.The effects on the ratsAccording to study leader Dr. Aylin Kılınç Uğurlu clearly. The more blue light the animals were exposed to, the faster their bones grew and the faster they showed the first signs of puberty.
And the scientists noticed something else. In particular, the growth plates of the bones, which are responsible for longitudinal growth, reacted to the blue light. This means that rats that were exposed to a particularly high amount of blue light initially grew faster, but did not continue to grow after the early maturation of the growth plates. This could result in them being smaller than adult rats that were exposed to less or no blue light.
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Results should be treated with caution
DieResults of the studyAccording to the study director, although these are clear, they should still be viewed with caution. She explains: “As this is a study on rats, we cannot be sure that these results will apply to children to the same extent. However, our data suggests that prolonged exposure to blue light accelerates both physical growth and growth plate maturation, leading to early puberty.”
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The faster growth, the scientist continues, may seem positive at first glance, but it leads to “...their bones maturing too early, which could potentially lead to them being smaller than average in adulthood. “
The research team led by Dr. Aylin Kılınç Uğurlu will now continue to investigate. Particular focus should be on finding out whether certain exposure durations or intensities have lasting consequences on the skeleton or are possibly even reversible.
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