A community-based study from All India Institute of Medical Sciences has brought fresh attention to early childhood screen exposure in rural India, suggesting that excessive use is no longer confined to urban settings. Conducted in villages under the Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System, the findings highlight a shift in lifestyle patterns among toddlers, with measurable deviations from recommended limits. The cross-sectional survey included 282 children aged 24 to 59 months.
Using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire, investigators assessed device use, duration, timing, content, and parental control practices. The results indicate that 50.5 percent of children exceeded the World Health Organization recommended daily screen time limit of 60 minutes for this age group. Smartphones were the dominant device, with content ranging from cartoons and educational clips to…
