Study: Toddlers Need Exercise, Less Screen Time

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

toddler

Noun

ˈtɑːdlər

a young child between the ages of one and three

My toddler has started saying a few words.

attention

Noun

əˈtɛnʃən

notice or interest given to someone or something; the mental power of giving notice or thought to someone or something

The event is attracting a lot of media attention.

After sending a few emails, she turned her attention to more important tasks.

regulate

Verb

ˈrɛgjəˌleɪt

to control an activity, process, industry, etc.

The production and sale of medicine in the US is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

guideline

Noun

ˈgaɪdˌlaɪn

a rule, instruction, etc. about how something should be done

WHO guidelines say that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

serving

Noun

ˈsɜːrvɪŋ

an amount of food that is suitable for one person

This recipe should make four servings.

aware

Adjective

əˈwɛr

knowing or understanding a fact, situation, etc.

We are all well aware of the seriousness of the situation.

Exercise 2

Article

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Study: Toddlers Need Exercise, Less Screen Time

Getting daily exercise and spending less time in front of screens is best for toddlers' brains, according to a recent study.

That's probably not much of a surprise, but a team of researchers in the US has been testing the results.

There are studies that suggest video games may help older children in some ways, but this research says that less screen time and more exercise is linked to better executive function skills in younger children.

Executive function skills include things like paying attention, changing from one activity to another and regulating thoughts and behavior.

The researchers looked at 352 two-year-olds in the US. They asked their parents questions about the toddlers' screen time, exercise and the foods they ate.

They also asked them about their children's executive function skills.

Then, they compared the answers with guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Children met the AAP guidelines if they spent less than one hour per day looking at screens, took part in daily exercise, and ate five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

The study found that children who used screens for fewer than 60 minutes a day had much better executive function skills.

Researchers also found that toddlers who exercised daily were more aware and in control of their own thoughts.

The AAP says that up to the age of 18 months, children should only be using screens to take part in family video calls. Between 18 and 24 months they could watch an educational program with an adult.