The Association Between Smartphone Usage and Health-Related Behaviors Among College Students

Abstract

The smartphone has become a popular device, especially among young adults, with its significance highlighted during the COVID-19 lockdown when online classes became necessary for college students. This research aimed to evaluate the prevalence of smartphone use and its impact on health-related behaviors reported by college-going students in North India. Due to the pandemic, data collection was conducted through a Google form, and a questionnaire was used to gather information on various parameters. The Food Frequency Questionnaire assessed the frequency of food group consumption, while the validated Smartphone Addiction Scale—Shorter Version measured smartphone addiction. A total of 142 participants aged 18 to 24 years, including 59% female and 41% male participants from Delhi-NCR, were recruited using convenience sampling. The findings revealed a smartphone addiction prevalence of 41%. Statistically significant associations were found between smartphone use and sleep quality (p < .001), body mass index status (p = .016), and sedentary behavior (p < .001). Notably, smartphone screen time (p < .001) and stress levels (p = .028) correlated significantly with smartphone addiction based on the Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version score. This study highlights the significant prevalence of smartphone addiction (41%) among college students, which is associated with adverse effects on sleep quality, physical activity, and stress levels.