Ran Barzilay, a psychiatrist and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, won’t be letting his nine-year-old son get a smartphone before age 13. Kids who owned a smartphone by age 12 had a greater risk of depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep compared to those who didn’t, a research team led by Barzilay found. The age at which kids got a phone in this cohort ranged from four to 13, with a median age of 11. By comparison, 29% of kids ages 8 to 10 and 12% of 5- to 7-year-olds had smartphones, the survey found. His team’s last analysis zeroed in on the children who did not already have a smartphone at age 12.

Source: The Star January 22, 2026 19:02 UTC