Adults’ Smartphone Use Predicts Being an Active Couch Potato

Abstract

Physical activity is typically negatively associated with sedentary behavior. However, individuals who exercise regularly but allocate large amounts of time to sedentary behavior are an exception to this relationship and known as “active couch potatoes” (ACP). The ACP is of concern as the negative health effects of sedentary behavior appear to be independent of the benefits of physical activity. Previously published research found a positive relationship between smartphone use and sedentary behavior but no relationship between smartphone use and physical activity. Therefore, being a high smartphone user may predict being an ACP (i.e., being highly sedentary yet sufficiently physically active). This idea was previously explored with a correlational study using a sample of college students. In that study, smartphone use was associated with being an ACP. However, this relationship has not been tested in adults beyond college age. Furthermore, previous research did not include the most commonly studied predictor of sedentary behavior - TV viewing. PURPOSE: To test whether adults’ smartphone use, TV viewing, sex and age predicts being an ACP. METHODS: A sample of 423 adults (n = 277 female, 40 ± 16 years old) completed surveys assessing physical activity and sedentary behavior. Daily smartphone use and TV viewing were also assessed. Participants were coded as an ACP (or not) based off scores from the physical activity and sedentary behavior surveys. A binary logistic regression was used to test whether smartphone use, TV viewing, sex and age were predictors of being an ACP. RESULTS: The binary logistic regression model was statistically significant, χ2 = 50.96, p < 0.001 (df = 4). Sex and TV watching were not significant predictors of being an ACP (Wald ≤ 1.148, p ≥ 0.284). Age and smartphone use were significant predictors of being an ACP (Wald ≥ 6.545, p ≤ 0.011). Results revealed an inverse relationship between age and the likelihood of being an ACP, and a positive relationship between smartphone use and the likelihood of being an ACP. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to college students, increased smartphone use predicted being an ACP in adults beyond college age. Because TV viewing was not a predictor, greater attention should be given to understanding the relationship between smartphone use and the health compromising ACP lifestyle.