Every hour kids spend online increases chance of buying junk food by a fifth

Research has found a correlation between internet time and junk food.

Every hour a child spends online each day increases their chances of buying chocolate and junk food by a fifth, new research shows.

Young children spending at least half an hour a day of leisure time online were twice as likely to spend their pocket money on such foods, compared with those whose time on websites was more restricted, the study found.

Cancer Research UK and the University of Liverpool tracked almost 2,500 primary school children, who spent an average of two hours a day online, on top of schoolwork - rising to three hours at weekends.

Those spending more than three hours a day online were more than four times more likely than to spend pocket money on chocolate, crisps and sugary drinks, compared with those spending less than 30 minutes a day online. And they were 79 per cent more likely to be overweight or obese.

Every extra hour online looking at sites like YouTube, Facebook and Pepper Pig saw a 19 per cent increase in the likelihood that children would spend their pocket money on such foods, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Children spending the most time online were also far more likely to pester their parents to buy sugary and fatty foods, the study found.

The UK government has published plans to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and will be opening consultations on policies including a 9pm watershed for unhealthy food adverts on TV, and how best to regulate on-demand and online adverts.

Researchers said the findings showed the need to protect children from junk food adverts online.

Dr Jyotsna Vohra, Cancer Research UK's head of cancer policy research, said: "The evidence suggests that time spent online, where advertising can be prolific, and watching commercial TV increases the likelihood that children will pester for, buy and eat more unhealthy foods. If they didn't then the food industry wouldn't spend so much on advertising."

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