Screen Time Health Statistics & Figures

• 80.3% of adolescents worldwide exercise less than the recommended 60 minutes per day (Hallal, 2012)
  • Teens that perform well in school are twice as likely to get at least 60 minutes of exercise per day (CDC, 2010)
• 65% of adolescents engage in more than the recommended maximum of 2 hours of screen time (Hallal, 2012)
  • Average 7.5 hours per day in the USA (CDC, 2010)
  • Average 10.3 hours per day in Austria (Greier, 2017)
• Adults with excessive screen time are less likely to set limits for their children (Schoeppe, 2016)
  • 60% of children 10-14 in Austria have a TV in their room and watch before school (Greier, 2017)
• In addition to obesity, sedentary time such as screen time is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (Wilmot, 2012)
• 40% of all cancers have been associated with obesity (CDC, 2017)

THE PROBLEM

Screen time is having a significant negative impact on our children’s health. Prof. Dr. Klaus Greier et al., 2017, from the University of Innsbruck published a report in the Wiener klinischen Wochenschrift – The Central European Journal of Medicine. His team found that children aged 10-14 in Austria get an unbelievable average of 10.3 hours per day of screen time. These results were independent of social status, with screen time correlating negatively with both sports activities and motor skills. In the same year, the Center for Disease Control in the United States reported that over 80% of kids get less than the recommended 60 minutes of vigorous exercise daily.

Existing sports programs have failed to address these trends. Camps exist to give children outdoor experiences, but few, if any in Austria, have the core mission of making long-term changes that foster healthy behaviors.

Here you can read the specifics of Prof. Dr. Geier’s study: S. Kaiser-Jovy, A. Scheu, K. Greier Media use, sports activities, and motor fitness in childhood and adolescence, Wiener klinische Wochenschrift 129:13-14, 464-471, Juli 2017

SOLUTION TO UNHEALTHY SCREEN TIME

Understanding the challenges that screen time presents for children’s health, our programs focus upon 5 key areas:

• Fun and Adventure
  1. Critical for long-term participation in an activity
• Community and Sense of Belonging
• Self-Confidence
• Friendship and Social Skills
• Life Skills

The various barriers individuals face in their search for a healthier lifestyle require a deep understanding of sports physiology, psychology, and medicine. With a strong background in both sport and medicine, the team at Bike Austria offers more than just a standard exercise program.

Located in the Hohe Tauern, one of the most majestic landscapes on earth, Bike Austria is able to create unique programs that motivate, inspire, and push individuals to discover their better selves. The central program design will be a progression of cycling skills, fitness training, and nutrition. The goal is both physical and emotional health.  Physical health naturally follows continued participation in a sport that improves cardiovascular health and reduces obesity.  Less obvious, but more significant is the emotional health component.

Screen time negatively impacts children’s emotional health by reducing meaningful social interactions.  Reduces self-confidence and self-worth follow.  Bike Austria’s solution is to work in small groups that support each other.  These groups build those important social relationships and increase self-confidence.  In working closely with school counselors and parents, Dr. Tracy Anderson has learned that improvements have been observed in school and at home.  This is consistent with the results of current research.

The Bike Austria After-School Program is the perfect solution because it is the perfect “Green Exercise”. Regardless of fitness level, it is fun, easy to learn, and a life-long sport. It provides an essential cardiovascular workout while reaping a multitude of physical and mental benefits from the natural environment. The existing cycling infrastructure in the Hohe Tauern is developed sufficiently to allow immediate implementation of the programs.