Israeli kids lead the world in time spent playing video games

While it is no surprise that teens and preteens around the world dedicate much of their time to playing video games, it appears this is one area where the Israeli youth really excels. Children's World, an annual international survey of children's well-being, has surveyed 23,803 children between the ages of 7 and 15 in 20 nations and found that Israeli children outspent their international peers in 2021 in terms of time dedicated to playing computer games.

Around 65% of Israeli kids report playing more than five times a week, compared to an international average of 50%. Children from Italy and Russia came in second and third, respectively, in the study. In terms of social media usage, 63% of Israeli kids came in seventh, reporting spending more than five days a week in front of their screens, while the global average stands at 58%.

Dr. Dafna Gross-Manos, senior lecturer at the Social Work Department at the Tel-Hai Academic College, said: "Spending so much time in front of the screen can lead to cognitive issues, behavioral problems and attention deficit disorders. Among teens, there's increased risk of anxiety and depression."

Tamar Trabelsi-Hadad