From screen time to sugar spikes: How modern lifestyles are impacting children’s long-term health

A parent recently told me something that has stayed with me. She said, “My child isn’t unwell, but I feel like something is off.”That feeling is becoming increasingly common. Many children today appear perfectly fine on the surface; they’re active in school, they’re not visibly ill but their daily habits tell a more complicated story.If you look closely, two things stand out in most urban households: screens are almost always within reach, and quick, processed food is never too far away. Individually, both are manageable. Together, over time, they begin to shape a child’s health in subtle ways.Let’s start with screen time not because it is the biggest problem, but because it quietly influences so many other behaviours.When a child spends long hours on a screen, movement naturally reduces. This isn’t always obvious in the moment. A child may still attend school or a sports class, but the overall level of physical activity through the day is often lower than it used to be. The body, however, responds to the total pattern, not isolated bursts of exercise.Then there is sleep, which tends to get disrupted more easily than parents realise. Many children are using devices right up until bedtime. Even if they fall asleep without much resistance, the quality of that sleep can be affected. Over time, this shows up as difficulty waking up, daytime fatigue, or even changes in mood and appetite.And somewhere in between all this, eating habits start to shift.One pattern I see frequently is what I would call “distracted eating.” A child is watching something, and snacks just become part of the activity. There is no real sense of hunger or fullness, it is simply continuous nibbling. Most of these foods are easy-to-eat, packaged items, which tend to be high in sugar or refined carbohydrates.This is where the idea of sugar spikes becomes relevant, although it sounds more technical than it really is.Every time we consume something high in sugar, the body experiences a quick rise in blood glucose.In children, this can show up in small ways at first; sudden bursts of energy, followed by irritability or tiredness. Over a longer period, it may begin to influence weight, food preferences, and how efficiently the body uses energy. The challenge is that none of this feels urgent in the moment, so it is easy to overlook.What makes things more complex is how these habits feed into each other.A child who sleeps poorly may crave quick-energy foods the next day. A child who consumes more sugary snacks may experience energy dips and prefer low-effort activities like watching a screen. Less activity then affects sleep again. It becomes a loop, but not one that is immediately visible.At this point, many parents worry that they need to make drastic changes. In reality, that approach rarely works, especially with children.What tends to work better is gently reshaping routines.For example, keeping mealtimes screen-free can make a bigger difference than expected. It allows children to actually pay attention to what they are eating. Similarly, introducing small pockets of activity such as playing downstairs, walking the dog, even helping with household tasks, can help offset long sedentary hours.Sleep, too, benefits from simple adjustments. Reducing screen exposure before bedtime, even by 30-45 minutes, can improve sleep quality over time.Food does not need to become restrictive. The idea is not to eliminate treats, but to ensure they are not the default option. Regular meals, a mix of home-cooked food, and some structure around snacking go a long way in stabilising energy levels.One thing I often tell parents is this: children do not need perfect routines, they need consistent ones.We also need to be careful not to medicalise every aspect of childhood. Not every child with screen time or a sweet tooth is heading towards a health problem. But patterns matter. And when certain patterns repeat over months and years, they begin to shape long-term outcomes.The encouraging part is that these patterns are still within our control.Small changes, done consistently, without pressure, can shift a child’s trajectory in meaningful ways. And often, those changes start not with strict rules, but with simple awareness.Because in most cases, it is not about doing everything differently. It is about doing a few things, just a little better, every day.Dr Lubna Chingili, Chief Medical Officer, Global innovation Centre, NURA - Ai Health Screening Centre