The Impact Of Technology On Childhood Obesity

In a world that is advancing in technology rapidly, it can be hard to not get wrapped up in it. However we find ourselves more dependent on it. Technology is no longer a convenience to our everyday lives; it has become a necessity. Toddlers now read less, young adults and teenagers are found to have a shorter attention span, and adults have less face-to-face interactions because of technological advances.
Technology has impacted toddlers in several ways: such as an increase in childhood obesity, less reading, and a decrease in social interaction with other kids. Childhood obesity is on the rise in the United States, and technology has played an important part in the increasing trend. Children are advised to get one hour of active play a day; instead they play on their tablets and video games consuls, causing them to stay stationary for long periods of time. In addition, there has been a decrease in social interaction between kids while at lunch and on the playground. “Teachers talk of pupils who wander around at breaks or lunch glued to their tablets
or smartphones.” Therefore children should put down the technological devices or at least be limited to them and interact with other children during school hours. Furthermore, technology has the greatest impact on generation’s young adults and teenagers.
When on your phone or tablet for extended periods of time you tend to switch between social media and games, which is constantly causing you to have to multi task and not focus on one thing at a time. Repeatedly doing this you’re rewarding your brain for not staying on task, it becomes a habit and can cause you to have a shorter attention span. Technology can also have an impact on how much gets done. When social media and texting are constantly consuming your phone, while trying to study or do homework it tends to become a distraction, as a result it can affects how much homework you actually complete. Common sense media states, “ At least twenty-two percent of teens check social media more than ten times a day.” Therefore you should try to be aware of how long you’re on your phone and the possible consequence it may
have.
It may be hard to believe but adults too can be affected by technology. In this day and age we are so used to using technology that face-to-face communication is slowly becoming a thing of the past, especially in the workplace. Technology in the work place can increase conflicts and negotiations that may happen over email. Many people don’t want face-to-face conflicts so therefore they resort to using email, almost half of email conflicts do not end well, while close to eighty percent of conflicts that happen over the phone or face-to-face are resolved successfully (McCormick, 2009). Further more, EHarmony and match.com are becoming more frequently used and becoming more successful than ever before. However, it is taking away from the nature of going out and meeting someone and socially interacting with him or her. Technology is a wonderful thing however; it has become an obsession with all ages and generations, causing it to have a negative impact on people and their daily lives. Next time you use technology pay attention to how many things you are switching between and how long you are on the device for, you may find yourself to be more productive. Keeping this in mind, it may be easier to appreciate actual social interaction.