‘lAP Ki Baat, Community Ke Saath’ campaign readies millions nationwide

GUWAHATI: The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (lAP) announced the remarkable success of its nationwide initiative,  “IAP Ki Baat, Community Ke Saath” campaign, which has engaged millions over the past six months. As part of the Presidential Action Plan for 2024 and 2025, this campaign addresses critical child heath issues while fostering community engagement. It encompasses topics such as obesity, measles, autism, Down syndrome, and thalassemia, with the 14th campaign focusing on the escalating concern of Screen Media: Boon or Bane in India.

As digital media becomes an integral part of everyday life, lAP has launched a comprehensive initiative to promote healthy digital habits among children. While screen media provides unprecedented access to education, socialization, and entertainment, excessive use can lead to serious negative consequences. The lAP emphasizes that balanced screen time is vital for the physical, emotional, and mental welI being of today’s youth.

The growing concern is the social media usage among adolescents has surged dramatically. According to global statistics, Generation Z averages 9 hours of screen time per day, significantly exceeding the global average of 6 hours and 40 minutes. In India, over 68% of adolescents spend more than 2 hours daily on screen—based media. This excessive usage is linked to various mental, physical, and developmental health Issues, including poor academic performance, sleep disturbances and obesity, increased risk of anxiety, depression, and isolation, exposure to harmful content and cyber bullying.

Screen media has revolutionized education, connectivity, and entertainment, offering numerous benefits like; educational resources through platforms like YouTube and Linkedln which provide access to tutorials, online courses, and collaborative learning environments.

Social media helps users maintain connections with family, friends, and colleagues across the globe. Platforms allow users to showcase their talents, explore career opportunities, and advocate for social causes.

However, overuse of screen media poses significant risks like mental health issues, screen addiction, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and cyberbullyling are increasingly prevalent among adolescents. Excessive screen time contributes to sleep issues, obesity, digital eye strain, and orthopedic problems like “Tech Neck’. Real-life social interactions are being replaced by online relationships, leading to reduced family connections and increased anxiety.

To promote effective screen time management, the lAP has released the following age- appropriate guidelines: Infants (0-23 months): No screen exposure. Children (2-5 years): Limit screen time to 1 hour per day, supervised, with age- appropriate content. Children (5-10 years): Screen time should be less than 2 hours per day, focused on educational use. Adolescents (10-18 years): Balance screen time with physical activity, sleep, schoolwork, and family interactions.

lAP encourages parents and caregivers to take proactive steps to ensure healthy screen use, including monitoing screen time using the WWW’ approach (Whom they meet, Where they go online, What they do), setting boundaries, such as device-free zones and times, encouraging offline activities, like hobbies and outdoor play, being role models by practising healthy digital habits and seeking professional help if overuse becomes problematic.

The lAP urges parents, educators, and policymakers to work together to protect adolescents from the harmful effects of excessive screen media use. Public awareness campaigns, stronger regulations on online content, and digital literacy programs are essential for ensuring the healthy development of the next generation.

The team leading this campaign indudes Dr. Samir Shah (Convenor), Dr. Ashim Ghosh (Convenor), Dr. Manmeet Kaur, Dr. Ranjith P, and Dr. Kalyani Patra. Additional scientific support is provided by Dr. Piyali Bhattacharya, Dr. Gayatri Bezboruah, Dr. Prashant V. Kariya, Dr. Mubashir Hassan Shah, Dr. Cherukuri Nirmala, and Dr. Manmeet Kaur Sodhi.

lAP officials, including Dr. GV Basavaraja, Dr. Vasant Khalathar. Dr. Yogesh Parikh, and Dr. Atanu Bhadra, along with National Coordinators Dr. Geeta Patil, Dr. Samir Dalwai, Dr. Kishore Baindur, Dr. Shantaraj, and Dr. Amaresh Patil, will unveil awareness materials, including posters and videos, to further spread the message of responsible screen time. The Indian Academy of Pediatrics remains committed to protecting public health through education and raising awareness on screen media and other pressing health challenges, stated a press release.

Also read: Assam: Indian Academy of Pediatrics launches nationwide campaign “IAP Ki Baat, Community Ke Saath” to tackle childhood obesity

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