The French Health Ministry issued a warning against excessive mobile phone use, especially by children, though it recognized science had not proved cellular technology was dangerous, a Reuters report said.
The Reuters report quoted a statement from the Ministry of Health, Youth and Sports as saying that the appearance on the market of mobile phones designed for children has raised concern since youngsters would be particularly vulnerable to any possible health effects.
'As the hypothesis of a risk cannot be entirely excluded, precaution is justified,' the ministry said.
It recommended using mobile phones in moderation, especially among children, and gave advice on how users could reduce their exposure to any possible risk, the report said.
The Reuters report further quoted Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin as saying that mobile phones given to children could be useful safety items, but parents should be cautious about frequent use.
A November 2006 report from the World Health Organization said available evidence suggests long-term exposure to radio-frequency and microwave radiation from mobile phones had no adverse health effects, the report said.
However, the WHO said other studies pointed to an increased risk of tumors in people who have used an analogue mobile phone for more than 10 years, the report said.