The digital age has brought us wonders — connecting instantly with friends and family on the other side of the world, the ability to order just about anything from anywhere, even new apps that limit your intake of calories and booze and manage your allergies or diabetes. But the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets has also been blamed for a variety of different health problems, from obesity to sleep disorders. Can staring at music videos for hours at your iPad’s screen really give you myopia and hurt your hearing? Can being too connected to email leave you anxious and depressed? Can YouTube and digital games make you fat? What do we really know about the health risks of our digital technologies, and what can we do to mitigate them?
In a Zócalo/UCLA panel discussion on Monday, March 28, 7:30 p.m., at L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art, a panel of experts will explore the impact of digital technology on our health. Participants include UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, a biobehavioral scientist specializing in circadian rhythms; UCLA psychology professor Patricia Greenfield, director of the Children’s Digital Media Center; and Dr. Anusuya Chatterjee, health economist and Milken Institute Fellow. Moderated by Chad Terhune, senior correspondent for California Healthline and Kaiser Health News.
The event is free, but registration is required. RSVP here.
