A survey of more than 2,000 parents has found that more than half believe their children spend too much time sitting down, playing on mobile phones or games consoles.
Internet Matters, a non-profit organisation based in London, which assists families to ensure their children are aware of online safety, conducted a study ahead of the half-term holiday.
It found that 54 per cent of parents were worried that screen time was encouraging their children to adopt an inactive lifestyle. More than a third of those surveyed (36 per cent) said use of mobile devices meant their children did not spend enough time outdoors.
The survey also revealed that parents worry more about lack of exercise as their children grow older. Almost half (49 per cent) with children aged 14 to 16 said they had concerns about a lack of exercise – that was compared to 31 per cent of those with children aged four and five.
Four out of 10 parents said use of mobile devices was disrupting their children’s sleep with 35 per cent agreeing that it affected quality family time.
Carolyn Bunting, chief executive of Internet Matters, said the amount of time that children should spend online is a big issue for parents – and many will worry that too long watching screens may have a negative impact on their physical and mental health.