4th word list

Just in time for the summer doldrums: Fresh evidence from a prominent Minnesota researcher that kids who spend too many hours with TV and video games can be at risk for attention problems.

The study found equal risks whether children exceed the daily time limit with television, video games or both -- making it one of the first to substantiate gaming as a risk factor in attention problems.

Walsh's study, released last week in advance of publication, was criticized on the Pediatrics website by a Harvard psychiatrist and a psychologist from Texas A&M. They argued the study, at best, found a weak correlation between gaming and attention problems and used an unproven method for surveying teachers about attention problems in kids.

The researchers couldn't prove cause-and-effect; it's possible, for example, that kids with attention problems are more predisposed to like video games or TV.

Walsh said the study isn't an indictment of screen time, just a call for moderation. "We're not talking about the smoking gun,'' he said.