Smartphones have become essential in daily life, serving as a main entertainment source—particularly for young people—often at the expense of physical activity. A recent study of college students found those using smartphones five or more hours daily faced a 43% higher obesity risk and were prone to heart disease-linked habits.
Researchers examined 1,060 students: 700 women (average age 19) and 360 men (average age 20). Among men, 36.1% were overweight and 42.6% obese. For women, 63.9% were overweight and 57.4% obese.
The obesity risk rose 43% with five-plus hours of smartphone use, as these students were twice as likely to consume sugary drinks, fast food, sweets, and snacks while cutting physical activity. Notably, 26% of overweight students and 4.6% of obese students exceeded five hours of daily device use.
