Children have become "screen kids"

An authoratative report argues that children in the United Kingdom watch too much television and have become "screen kids".

The National Consumer Council (NCC) says many young people now have televisions or computers in their bedrooms which were becoming "electronic babysitters".

It also found poorer children spent much more time watching television and were more likely to have a set of their own than those in affluent households.

Children from poorer areas were six times more likely to watch while eating evening meals, it said, and had the television on more on Sundays.

The Watching, Wanting and Wellbeing report also points out that more television means greater exposure to adverts. It found youngsters in poorer areas watched more commercial television and more shows made for an adults.

Ed Mayo, council chief executive, explained: "Today's children are now screen kids. In some streets, every bedroom has a television for children and many have a computer."