A leading child psychiatrist says he won’t be giving his own son a smartphone until at least age 13 — and new research suggests many parents may want to consider doing the same.
Ran Barzilay, a psychiatrist and researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, based his decision on findings from a large US study published in the medical journal Pediatrics. The research links early smartphone ownership with higher risks of depression, obesity and inadequate sleep among children.
According to the study, children who owned a smartphone by age 12 were 31 per cent more likely to experience depression, 40pc more likely to be obese, and 62pc more likely to suffer from insufficient sleep — defined as fewer than nine hours per night — compared to peers who did not have a phone.
The conclusions draw on observational data collected between 2016 and 2022 as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, which has been tracking the brain development and health of more than 10,000 children across the United States. Participants entered the study at ages nine to 10 and are being followed into early adulthood.
In this group, children received their first smartphone as early as age four and as late as 13, with the median age being 11.
“We’re not advocating for people to go back to the Stone Age,” said Barzilay, the study’s lead author. “We know that eventually, almost every teen will get their smartphone.”
Smartphone use among children is already widespread. A 2025 Pew Research Centre survey found that nearly 60pc of parents of 11- and 12-year-olds said their child owned a smartphone. Ownership was reported by 29pc of children aged eight to 10 and 12pc of those aged five to seven.
The findings come amid growing concern over youth mental health in the US, where rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts have risen sharply over the past decade. While smartphones are unlikely to be the sole cause, many studies have linked excessive screen use to poorer mental health outcomes.
Barzilay stressed that smartphones are not inherently harmful and can offer benefits, including staying connected and addressing parental safety concerns. “We’re not saying smartphones are bad, but we’re not saying they’re good,” he said.
What the data shows
Beyond comparing children with and without phones by age 12, the researchers found that for every year younger than 12 that a child received a smartphone, the odds of obesity and insufficient sleep at age 12 increased by about 10pc. Earlier ownership was not, however, directly linked to a higher risk of depression.
Another analysis focused on children who did not have a smartphone at age 12. By age 13, about half had received one. That group showed higher rates of mental health problems and sleep deprivation compared to those who remained phone-free.
The researchers accounted for factors such as family income, parental education, puberty, parental supervision and access to other devices like tablets or laptops. Still, Barzilay acknowledged that the study had limitations, including a lack of data on how children actually used their phones or what content they were exposed to.
Advice for parents
Barzilay emphasised that the findings reflect population-level trends and cannot predict outcomes for individual children. “This is on average,” he said. “It doesn’t say anything for the individual child.”
If parents do decide to give their child a smartphone, he recommends closely monitoring its impact on daily life. Screen use should not replace sleep, physical activity or meaningful time with friends and family.
Practical steps include keeping phones out of bedrooms at night and setting aside tech-free family time, such as during meals.
Ultimately, Barzilay urges parents to weigh both the risks and benefits before handing over a smartphone. “Things that can help families delay the use of phones will probably make sense,” he said.