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Just in time for Earth Day today comes a project by a Salem-based academic on a new epidemic known as "Nature Deficit Disorder."

The first thing you should know about Nature Deficit Disorder is that it is not a real medical diagnosis despite its ominous-sounding name, said Michael Bentley, a retired education professor who published a special section on the condition last week on education.com, a widely read Web site for parents of schoolchildren.

Rather, it's a term popularized by author Richard Louv, whose 2005 book, "Last Child in the Woods," sparked hand-wringing about a generation of children growing up indoors, with no interest in nature. Since then, other researchers have come up with their own scientific-sounding names such as videophilia (the tendency to spend time indoors staring at screens) and biophilia (spending time outdoors). You get the idea.

If you grew up anytime after televisions became common features in living rooms -- a half-century ago -- these concerns will probably sound familiar.

But Bentley said the rapid proliferation of screens in American homes is making the problem worse. Besides televisions, we're now glued to our computer screens, our cellphones and all sorts of other new devices.

Child obesity is now a widespread problem. Meanwhile, researchers say time outdoors helps children focus in class. In the past few years, however, the No Child Left Behind act has caused schools to cut back on field trips and recess time in favor of more math and English instruction.

All this spells trouble for children, Bentley warned.

"Their brains are going to develop in a different way and the long-term implication for me is we're going to end up with senators and legislators who don't care about the environment," he said. "Of course we already have plenty of legislators who don't care enough about it."

Today, Americans have more televisions in their houses than children, he said. And he cites research that estimates that the proportion of 9- to 12-year-olds who take part in regular outdoor activities has declined by 50 percent.

So what's to be done about it?

It's pretty simple, really, Bentley said.

"There's two sides to it," he said. "One side is to restrict the screen time by putting limits. ... The other side of the coin is getting them outside."

Bentley recommended hikes, bike rides, bird-watching expeditions, paddling trips and other adventures. A local group, known as Kids in the Valley Adventuring (KIVA), has also been organizing outdoor activities for children.

As with many things, it starts with parents cutting down on their television watching themselves. It helps that there are so many opportunities close to Roanoke. The area is "heaven for outdoor activities," according to Bentley, who moved here in 2006 after retiring from the University of Tennessee.

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The Roanoke County school system will host an open house Thursday to show off the newly remodeled Northside High School. Students have been attending classes in the new building since the start of the year while the school system wrapped up the renovation project.

The open house starts at 6 p.m. Northside High School is located at 6758 Northside High School Road.