Mobile devices at the table: the hidden downside of keeping kids entertained with screens
The scene repeats itself: families in fast-food restaurants, children absorbed in screens while adults chat or check their own phones. What seems like a harmless way to keep calm is actually a trend with worrying effects. A study conducted in Barcelona analyzed the use of mobile phones during meals and warns that 28% of children use them before, during, or after eating. The consequences go beyond distraction: they influence health, emotional bonding, and eating habits.
### The mobile phone as a “digital babysitter”
Many adults resort to the phone to keep children calm. The study found that usage increases in children over seven years old, in restless children, and in families with little interaction. When the dialogue between caregiver and child disappears, the likelihood of the phone appearing increases by 60%. In other words, the screen replaces conversation, a vital space for strengthening family bonds and developing social skills.
### Who allows more phone usage
Children under the care of young adults (under 30 years old) use the phone more frequently, probably because their caregivers integrate it naturally into their routine. Additionally, male companions were more permissive than females. The presence of analog alternatives – such as toys or coloring materials –
### Effects on eating and health
Eating in front of a screen alters the relationship with food. Distracted children chew less, consume more calories, and lose the perception of satiety, increasing the risk of overweight. This is compounded by exposure to advertising for ultra-processed food, shaping preferences from an early age. Thus, the phone on the table is not just a matter of manners but of public health.
📱 Children who receive their first phone before the age of 13 are at greater risk of anxiety, impulsivity, and mental disconnection. A study with 100,000 young people warns: screens in childhood take a toll on mental health.
### How to reclaim family meals
The key is not to ban technology but to teach how to use it in balance. Some simple strategies:
– Promote conversation about everyday topics.
– Offer non-digital alternatives like games or books.
– Set an example: if adults put away their phones, children will follow.
– Establish a simple and consistent rule: no screens during meals.
Restaurants can also help by creating more child-friendly environments, with play areas or coloring materials.
### A necessary cultural change
The use of mobile phones is spreading to younger ages – 69.6% of children between 10 and 15 years old already have one -. to reclaim moments of face-to-face connection. Screens entertain, but do not educate; family ties, on the other hand, are built word by word, look by look.
Source: [Original source]
