Blue light exposure from screens may accelerate bone growth and puberty in rats, suggesting potential risks for children.

New research recently presented at the 62nd Annual European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) Meeting in Liverpool which was held from November 16 to 18, revealed that blue light exposure, such as that from smartphones and tablets, may speed up bone growth and bone ageing, trigger – ing early puberty in rats.

This study highlights the potential effects of blue light-emitting devices on growth and development, raising significant concerns about the long-term health implications for children, who are exposed to screens at an increasingly young age.

As children grow and develop, long bones such as the femur progressively elongate at each end. These growing ends – areas of smooth, elastic cartilage known as ‘growth plates’ – eventually solidify which stops growth in height.

Girls generally stop growing and reach their maximum height between ages 14 and 16, while boys finish their growth between 16 and 18 years of age.