Young people cower for hours on the phone & PC

Generation Couch-Potato: Television, smartphones and computers turn young people into couch potatoes

07/11/2013

Young people increasingly spend their free time in front of the TV and on the computer, smartphone or tablet. In the past, television broadcasts of three to four hours a day were often a cause for criticism. Today comes the hours before PC, tablet and smartphone added, which, according to a recent representative survey of the Schwenninger health insurance and the Foundation „The health workers“ that leads to „young Germans between the ages of 18 and 34 spend at least six hours a day on television, computers or mobile phones in their spare time on average four days a week“ spend.

The survey of the Schwenninger health insurance among 1,000 young adults showed relatively clearly, the computer and mobile phone not replace the television, but added. This type of recreational activity meanwhile take so much time that hardly any time remains for sports activities, reports the health insurance company. This, in turn, has a corresponding negative impact on health. In combination with the unhealthy diet, which many adolescents nurture, the low-exercise leisure time is also to be interpreted as an explanation for the increased weight problems in adolescents and young adults.

Men spend more time watching television, mobile phones and PCs than women
In the current survey it became clear that young men use the electronic media even more intensively than young women, according to the statement of Schwenninger health insurance. According to the study, men spend more than three hours a day on computers and mobiles on about five days a week, while women of this age group spend half a day a week on their PC or smartphone. TV consumption is also slightly lower among young German citizens than among men. In the end, however, women also passively spend too much time passively watching television, PCs or smartphones, especially as the survey only asked about leisure time activities and many of them spent most of their time (eg at school or in college) sitting down.

Alarming development in recreational activities of young adults
The CEO of Schwenninger health insurance, Siegfried Gänsler, summed up that the current study show that computers, tablets and smartphones do not replace the television, but in addition to come. This is „an alarming development“, because „Instead of moving to the most sedentary activity at school, studying or working at leisure, young people are perched passively on the couch in front of an electronic device.“ Here, the study has also shown that in this way no relaxation is achieved. After all, almost two-thirds of respondents felt tired and limp during the day. Actually, they would do more exercise well and know the young German citizens too, reports the Schwenninger health insurance. For example, three out of four respondents said they would like to do more exercise and do more for their health, but they would not have enough time for such activities in everyday life. However, apparently the time remains to spend six hours in front of the TV, PC or smartphone.

Health as a subject required
The result of the current survey shows how important it is for our society to support children and adolescents in taking responsibility for their health, emphasized Gänsler. „Because the basis for a health-conscious life with sufficient exercise is laid in childhood“, so continues the chairman of the board of Schwenninger health insurance. Here more needs to be done to encourage even in kindergarten and school the fun of exercise. The Schwenninger health insurance therefore demand for a long time an independent school subject health. Of the participants in the current survey, two-thirds had supported this demand, reports the health insurance company. (Fp)

Image: Eklih Mmorf