Study Links Computer Time with Drug and Alcohol Use and Other High-Risk Behaviors

Teenagers who are on the computer the most are 50 percent more likely to engage in multiple high-risk behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use and unprotected sex compared to teens who log little screen time, according to a new study.

Medical News Today reports that watching a lot of television was also found to be modestly associated with increased engagement in multiple high-risk behaviors. The study author said that the average teenager is exposed to more than 4.5 hours of screen time each day. Spending so much time on the Internet allows them to visit undesirable websites where they can see images of behaviors they can potentially adopt, she said. The study was published in Preventive Medicine.