Abstract
This study assesses the associations of objectively-measured smartphone time with physical activity, sedentary behavior, mood, and sleep patterns among young adults by collecting real-time data of the smartphone screen-state. The sample consisted of 306 college-aged students (mean age ± SD: 20.7 ± 1.4 years; 60% males). Over seven days of time, the following variables were measured in the participants: objectively-measured smartphone use (Your Hour and Screen Time applications), objective and subjective physical activity (GoogleFit and Apple Health applications, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), respectively), the number of hours sitting (IPAQ), mood (The Profile of Mood State (POMS)), and sleep (The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)). Multiple regressions analyses showed that the number of hours sitting per day, physical activity, and the POMS Global Score significantly predicted smartphone use (adj.R2 = 0.15). Further, participants with low levels of physical activity were more likely to increase the use of smartphones (OR = 2.981). Moreover, mood state (β = 0.185; 95% CI = 0.05, 0.32) and sleep quality (β = 0.076; 95% CI = −0.06, 0.21) predicted smartphone use, with those reporting poor quality of sleep (PSQI index >5) being more likely to use the smartphone (OR = 2.679). In conclusion, there is an association between objectively-measured smartphone use and physical activity, sedentary behavior, mood, and sleep patterns. Those participants with low levels of physical activity, high levels of sedentary behavior, poor mood state, and poor sleep quality were more likely to spend more time using their smartphones.
Highlights
There is a global concern suggesting that individuals are not engaging in sufficient amounts of physical activity, participating in high amounts of sedentary activity [1,2], and spending a great amount of time in front of screens [3]
Sleep quality, and mood state, predicted higher levels of smartphone use
The number of hours sitting per day, subjectively measured physical activity (METs of moderate physical activity) and the Profile of Mood State (POMS) Global Score significantly predicted smartphone use
Summary
There is a global concern suggesting that individuals are not engaging in sufficient amounts of physical activity, participating in high amounts of sedentary activity [1,2], and spending a great amount of time in front of screens (i.e., watching television or using the smartphone) [3] This is problematic due to the deleterious health effects associated with low amounts of physical activity and high amounts of sedentary activity [4,5], including obesity [6], depression [7], poor sleep [8], and unsatisfactory psychosocial behaviors [7]. Public Health 2020, 17, 3499; doi:10.3390/ijerph17103499 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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