Although we've had TV for a while now, other forms of passive entertainment like video games, the internet, and portable 'screen devices' (e.g. cellphones, gameboys, iPads) are relatively new. And educators and parents are trying to figure out where they fit in.
With respect to food, there is a clear understanding now among professionals about the elements of a good diet, and and which elements of food lead to ill-health when taken to excess. It is not an easy task, but government agencies are constantly working on developing guidance to consumers - especially through labeling of nutritional information.
If one now turns to the 'infotainment' diet that the average middle- and high-schooler snacks on all day, I am really hard-pressed to find any guidance (from any source) that is useful to parents or teachers. Recommendations from the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) on maximum weekly limits for screen-time are a start, but they aren't much better than saying 'too much sugar is bad for you.'
We really need to focus on developing a concept of a balanced diet for digitally-mediated, non-human-to-human interactions. And we don't have the luxury of 10 years to get going. Or we will have to deal with a whole generation of 'obese' (in the brain) adults who are stuck with the bad snacking habits from their youth.
