Some 20% of Irish families spend between four and 10 hours in front of a screen every week day, and at weekends, this figures jumps to 50%, a new survey has found.

Over 900 people were surveyed earlier this month and asked to estimate the time they and their families spend in front of various screens, including TV, laptops, tablets, iPads and iPhones.

The findings revealed that 20% of families spend between four and 10 hours in front of a screen Monday to Friday, while just 6% spend less than one hour.

Some 25% spend two to three hours in front of various screens every week day, while 23% spend three to four hours.

The survey was carried out on behalf of Aviva Health, which is sponsoring season two of RTE's Ireland's Fittest Family. According to Aviva Health's medical director, Dr Ian Callanan, children are recommended to get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day, however four out of five Irish children are not achieving this.

"This research shows that far more family time is now being spent in front of a screen to the detriment of more healthy pursuits. The survey results put into stark relief the need to address the issue of a sedentary lifestyle from a young age, when healthy habits can be formed, particularly given the importance of cardiovascular fitness," he said.

He pointed out that cardiovascular disease is Ireland's number one cause of death among both men and women.

"Inactive children are at an increased risk of the early development of health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, depression and osteoporosis. We hope that families are inspired by the research findings and by the families on Ireland's Fittest Family to become more active together," Dr Callanan added.