SEATTLE RED

The dangers of mixing screen time and snack time

Sep 19, 2020, 11:50 AM

A study at England’s University of Sussex warns those who snack while watching television or playing video games that they are more likely to overeat, greatly increasing risks of obesity. “You’re less likely to be able to tell how full you feel,” Professor Martin Yeomans explained. “You’re more likely to keep snacking. This is important for anyone wanting to stay a healthy weight.”

The conclusions of the study might seem obvious, but still convey an important message about the hours we lavish on screens, including our obsession with social media. Few people feel satisfied after just a few minutes of screen time; social and entertainment media are deliberately designed to encourage you to keep watching, to keep clicking, to always yearn for more.

Nothing in our screen engagement promotes feelings of contentment, or fullness; perpetual hunger characterizes most addictions, including our often thoughtless indulgence in all forms of media diversion.

No time for ‘The Devil All the Time’

FILE - President Donald Trump signs his signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White...

Associated Press

New limits on federal student loans are steering many borrowers toward private lenders

NEW YORK (AP) — New limits on federal student loans filled Chloe Frabotta with anxiety as she began studying in New York City to become a physician assistant. The changes that took effect this fall include caps on loans for particular programs as well as limits on the amount parents can borrow to pay for […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

1 officer killed and 3 wounded in a firefight with a suspect in Lakewood, Colorado

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — An officer was killed and three others were wounded during a firefight in a Denver suburb Thursday evening with a man who was fatally shot by police, according to law enforcement. The Lakewood officers had responded to a call about a suspicious person attempting to get on a public bus, police […]

5 hours ago

Mike Bourcier and his wife Jenifer hold No Data Center signs Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Mason, Mich....

Associated Press

Data centers took a beating in the midterm elections. A reckoning may be ahead for tech giants

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — After a campaign season filled with outrage against data centers, the midterm elections ushered in a wave of Democrats pledging to clamp down on the energy-hungry behemoths. A tougher regulatory environment for artificial intelligence giants and data center developers is expected to follow, even if President Donald Trump — perhaps the […]

5 hours ago

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks at the Center for American Progress (CAP) post election forum, T...

Associated Press

Republicans rammed through Supreme Court nominees. Now Democrats will have the votes to stop them

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump led a transformation of the Supreme Court that ushered in a conservative supermajority but soon he will confront an emboldened Democratic-led Senate that is preparing to play hardball on his judicial nominations. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is likely to return as majority leader next year, promised in […]

5 hours ago

A photo of Sandra Birchmore is displayed during a Stronger Together Standout gathering, where the g...

Associated Press

Closing arguments expected in trial of ex-cop accused of killing Sandra Birchmore

BOSTON (AP) — Closing arguments are expected Friday in the trial of a former Massachusetts police officer accused of killing a pregnant woman to keep her from revealing that they had been in a sexual relationship that began when she was 15. Federal prosecutors say Matthew Farwell killed Sandra Birchmore, 23, and tried to stage […]

5 hours ago

Sarah Leyba grieves as she visits her flooded property in Edith, Colo., Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bri...

Associated Press

Uninsured and flooded out, a Colorado man worries if life will be normal again

EDITH, Colo. (AP) — Matthew Martinez has lived nearly all of his 60 years in a canyon on the Navajo River and never saw severe floods. Then twice over the last two weeks the river surged through his home and outbuildings in far southwestern Colorado, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the resort town […]

5 hours ago

The dangers of mixing screen time and snack time