Teens who spend at least 14 hours a week on the Internet have been found to be at risk of high blood pressure, a new study showed. Experts advice parents to limit children's time on the Internet to two hours a day, five days a week, to prevent hypertension.

Researchers from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in the U.S. said that their findings add to the increasing evidence of the link between heavy Internet use and health risks, such as addiction, social isolation, anxiety, depression and obesity. The researchers recommend moderation of Internet use for teens and even their parents to avoid health risks.

"Using the Internet is part of our daily life but it shouldn't consume us," said Dr Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow, lead author of the study and a researcher at Henry Ford's Department of Public Health Sciences. According to her, regular breaks for physical activities were found to be important for young people using computers or smartphones.

The study, published in the Journal of School Nursing, is believed to be the first of its kind to demonstrate the link between the duration of Internet use and high blood pressure. In the study, teens who spent an average of 25 hours a week on the Internet were considered to be heavy Internet users.

In the study, Internet use was defined as visiting websites, playing games, doing homework, emailing, instant messaging, downloading software, shopping and creating or maintaining Web pages. The data from 335 teens, ranging from 14 to 17 years old, were analysed, and their blood pressure was taken during a physical exam.

The findings could help school nurses monitor the health of students by conducting annual health screenings that will assess the students’ blood pressure and Internet use behaviours, Cassidy-Bushrow said. Students diagnosed with high blood pressure are recommended to have a follow-up visit to know the next steps for the condition, she added.

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