A number of government departments in Singapore jointly launched a program Tuesday, designed to encourage children and teenagers to develop healthier lifestyles.

One of the key measures is to strictly limit the number of hours children can use electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets and televisions.

The latest guidelines on gadget use state that children under the age of 18 months should not use gadgets (except for video calls) and should not be in an environment where gadget screens are on for long periods of time.

Children between the ages of 18 months and 6 years are only allowed one hour of out-of-school electronics use per day, but are required to refrain from using them at mealtimes and before bedtime.

Not only that, but parents must be deeply involved in the media content viewed by children in that age group, interacting with their children as much as possible.

Children between the ages of 7 and 12 are limited to two hours of electronics use per day, are not allowed to sign up for or use social media, and are also not allowed to use electronics at mealtime or bedtime.

Parents cannot give children in this age group unlimited access to devices with internet and apps, and have the right to take appropriate measures when children overuse electronics.

The new guidelines will be implemented in Singapore from February 1, and all pre-schools, kindergartens and schools will be required to comply with the regulations.

In addition, Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) has also introduced updated rules governing the use of smartphones and smartwatches by students in January.

Singaporean students are required to store their phones in a designated area before class, and are only allowed to use their phones in the designated area at appropriate times - such as breaks between lessons and after school.