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Junk food, TV and the internet 'are poisoning childhood'
Last updated at 11:52am on 12.09.06
Video games blamed for turning children into 'mini-adults'
Children are being deprived of the right to grow up at their own pace by a combination of advertising, junk food, pressures at school and TV and video games, experts have warned.
Youngsters are being turned into nothing more than "mini-adults" and are increasingly susceptible to depression and developmental problems as a result, they claim.
The group of renowned psychologists, academics, teachers' leaders and authors say that action is needed now in order to prevent the death of childhood.
The 110-strong lobby group wrote a letter to the Daily Telegraph asking that the Government intervene before children suffer irretrievable psychological and physical damage.
They say politicians have failed to appreciate how damaging the modern world has become to children's development.
They wrote: "We are deeply concerned at the escalating incidence of childhood depression and children's behavioural and developmental conditions.
"Since children's brains are still developing, they cannot adjust… to the effects of ever-more rapid technological and cultural change."
The group is made up of, among others, the authors Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson, Baroness Greenfield, the director of the Royal Institution, and leading child-care expert Penelope Leach.
They claim the needs of children have remained unchanged while the world around them has speeded up and increased its academic and social expectations.
Their letter continued: "They still need what developing human beings have always needed, including real food (as opposed to processed "junk"), real play (as opposed to sedentary screen-based entertainment), first-hand experience of the world they live in and regular interaction with the real-life significant adults in their lives."
The letter blamed marketing forces for making children "act and dress like mini-adults" while television and video games exposed them to material that would have been considered unsuitable on years earlier.
The letter was passed round the lobby group by Sue Palmer, a former head teacher and author of Toxic Childhood, and Dr Richard House, senior lecturer at the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education at Roehampton University.
Mrs Palmer said that "children's development is being drastically affected by the world they are brought up in".
"I think it is shocking. We must make a public statement - a child's mental and physical growth cannot be accelerated," she added. "It changes in biological time, not electrical speed. Childhood is not a race."
Her comments are supported by research from Professor Michael Shayer at King's College, London.
His studies found that cognitive skills in 11-year-olds were two to three years behind the average levels of 15 years ago.
The group's letter went on: "In a fast-moving, hyper-competitive culture, today's children are expected to cope with an ever-earlier start to formal schoolwork and an overly academic test-driven primary curriculum."
Michael Morpurgo, former children's laureate, added that a "target-driven education system… has put children into an academic straitjacket from an early age which restricts creativity and the enrichment of childhood".
He described video games and Internet sites as "toxic" influences on juvenile minds.
Mrs Wilson commented: "I don't think children use their imaginations any more. We are not valuing childhood."
Other signatories on the letter include three former education secretaries, Baroness Williams, Baroness Shephard and Baroness Morris.
Baroness Greenfield has already set up an all-party group in the Lords to look at the effects of technology on children.
Around one per cent of children aged five to 11 and three per cent of adolescents aged 11 to 18 are thought to suffer from depression in any one year - with 80,000 of those aged five to 16 suffering from serious depression.
Meanwhile the number of obese children has doubled in the last decade.
One in four aged 11-15 are obese, with almost half of girls officially classified as obese or overweight.
The Food Standards Agency is currently demanding a ban on television advertising of junk food before the 9pm watershed.
Reader views (20)
There is no latitude in raising children, parents need to take strict control and do it as a full time responsibility. We live in the information age, like it or not, there is a natural force for media and it's contents to be free. Decisions and responsibilities shouldn't be taken from children, they should be taught to them.
- Chobbes, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Quite clear.
Perhaps it should be highlighted that nowadays most parents are working as opposed to previous generations having a parent stay home. I suspect this doesn't get mentioned because it's not politically correct to suggest this. Without active parenting, what should we as a society expect? Parents who are dual income have more money and less time. But kids need time more than extra money.
I took a major financial hit last year when my wife gave birth to my child and quit her job. My child is wonderful. We're poor but my child has Mom around. If it were Dad, same difference. Bottom line is, if we expect our kids to take an allowance every week and figure things out on their own, then we'll end up with an unweeded garden.
- Jayson, Rhode Island, USA
I agree with Mr. Heggs that there are ALWAYS going to be "unfit" parents who let their kids take part in inappropriate activities. To seek legislation on such parenting type agendas is simply foolish. It is also very naive to think that companies would be willing to stop "targeting" children.
- Nic Tegtmeyer, Decatur, IL USA
My husband and I are raising five children without a television and it's the best parenting decision we've ever made! Our kids play music and are socially very adaptable: they look grownups in the eye and are confortable conversing with people from every walk of life. The no tv lifestyle is actually a blessing - and not that difficult. If we can do it, you can. I highly recommend it.
- Jean Lotus, Chicago IL, USA
I'm just waiting for the news article or study entitled, "Lack of Parental Discipline Poisons Childhood."
I'm also not holding any breath.
- Richard, USA
This just puts the blame everywhere else except where it belongs... I think nowadays everyone wants their child to be perfect. If they don't pay attention its adhd, if they are lazy its becaue they are depressed, if they don't behave it is TV.
What happened to enjoying childhood? What happened to dealing with problems instead of covering them? We place blame instead of correcting them... a parent can turn off a TV, doesn't have to have cokes in the fridge, and so much more.
- Willis, Waco, TX, USA
The little creeps cannot even walk to school anymore, don't know what a lawnmower is, have no chores to do, can't do the dishes, fold their clothes, even begin to make a regular sandwich, or heaven forbid, help out in a garden... no knowledge of what a garden is. They think all the goodies grow in the supermarket.
I've seen way too many kids throw hissy fits in stores and malls and the parents give in most every time.
Parents cannot discipline the kids for fear of legal action. The government and school authorities have no business getting involved here. Anytime gov't gets involved in anything to do with a family, the family suffers! This is all the parents fault. Just think, these creeps growing up today are going to "look out" for the elders when (an if) they grow up some day. Great !
- Frank Krosnicki, Loveland Colorado USA
I am a doctor and avid gamer myself. Video games and junk food are definatly (at least partially) to blame for the incredible obesity epidemic that is affecting most developed countries. Combined with a fear of letting kids play outside due to crime and you have a bit of a mess. But, as in all things, moderation is the key. I much prefer my children to play vid games as opposed to TV but it must be limited and reasonable and outdoor or physical play must be emphasized. I have advised some parents to look into the physical video games (like dance dance revolution or DDR) as a "trick" to get their overweight kids to exercise and it has been successful in some cases.
Video games are interactive and stimulating and there is no junk food advertisiting, TV appears to be much more damaging when taken in excess as compared to video games.
- Neal Spears Md, Smithville, TX USA
Some people simply aren't fit to be parents. This was the same as it was 50 years ago.
How is the government going to control that?
- Luther Heggs, CT, USA
Every Christmas season when the videogame commercials really start up on TV, I am horrified by the death/destruction/torture/annhiliation themes of the games being advertised. Why do parents buy this excrement for their kids? Why do parents buy any videogames for their kids? Easy babysitting? Parents have the power to get this stuff out of their homes. Your kids won't hate you forever because you got rid of their videogames. Turn on the stereo and dance with your kids (introduce them to the music of your youth which is better than the new music out there now). Play board games. Dust the living room together. Childhood is short enough as it is. Don't make it shorter with too-early exposure to computers, videogames, adult programming. Computers aren't going to make your kids smarter. It actually makes them less willing to work for the knowledge.
- Laura, Nashville, TN USA
They forgot to mention cell phones, the worst scourge of all. We are raising generations of rude imbeciles.
- Arthur Peterson, USA
I agree with Mr Allen. The article didn't blame poor parenting one time. The parents should be in control of the games, TV and the junk food.
- Tim, Washington, DC USA
These concerned parties are dead-on correct about the toxic nature of today's environment for children. Incivility, low attention span, lack of conversational skills, general ignorance of math, science, history, etc., obesity and utter self-absorption are clearly increasing. However, they know which celebrities are dating/breaking up with each other and who won on "Survivor" and "American Idol".
Whether appeals to the govt to help will produce any useful results is highly debatable. The bigger problem isn't the kids. It rests with their parents and the choices they're letting happen.
Turn off the TV. Don't feed your kids junk. Insist they read. Limit their internet time. Don't buy every piece of rubbish they beg for. Let them just play and be kids.
One doesn't need the govt to do these things. Believing one does is a big part of the problem.
- Kevin K, Princeton USA
When the Nanny State fascists enter your house, confiscate your food, tell you what to see or listen, then you'll understand that asking for government interference is very, very dangerous.
- Ee, Europe
What a joke. Have any of these so-called "experts" actually ever played a video game? "Blame videogames" is just another knee-jerk reaction to blame new forms of entertainment to which adults who run these studies are not accustomed. The real culprits are poor parenting, failing school systems and a deterioration in the physical environment (pollution, poor diet).
- Paul Allen, USA
Hard to put the genie back inthe bottle after it has been let out.
- Esteban, coulumbus, USA
I agree wholeheartedly with the issued statement. Childhood is in crisis, and parents are to blame.
- Rusty Tisdale, Laurel, MS, USA
Once again this is the media and or scientists trying to place blame on Television and Video games for creating a bad youth culture, when the blame lies flatly on the parents. We as parents should be actively involved in what our children are playing, watching, or eating.
- Justin, Alabama
For the first time society has gone too far. It's time to go back.
- Jeremy L Parker, Wrangell, USA
I remember when going outside to play was encouraged (I am a child of the 70s). Play supported social skills' development and creative thinking. It also helped work off the extra energy (no Ritalin required) and calories. While technology has a critical role in society and will continue to do so, it's time to shut off the television and computer and engage in the greatest perk of childhood... play!
- Hart1970, Raleigh, NC, USA
