Children who are glued to screens during meals are more likely to be overweight.
Eating in front of the TV can have bad consequences for a child's health
A new study suggests that the decline in family dining is influencing the obesity crisis in kids as they are too "distracted" to realise they are full because they have been scrolling on their phones or watching TV.
Researchers from Portugal's University of Minho studied the eating habits of 735 kids between the ages of six and 10 and questioned parents about their rules on using devices at mealtimes.
Youngsters who were allowed to stare at the screens were 15 per cent more likely to carry excess weight than those who weren't.
Lead researcher Dr. Ana Duarte commented: "We are so busy now that we don't seem to have the time to sit together for a family meal. When children are eating and are watching something on a TV or a mobile phone... they continue to eat and eat because they are distracted by the screens."
Tagged in children's health