Dietary Life Status According to Smart Device Use of University Students in Korea

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dietary life status according to smart device use among university students. In 2015, data was collected during a 3 month survey of the eating behaviors, lifestyles, eating habits, and use of smart devices of 550 university students, as well as their dependency on smartphones. Ultimately, 520 subjects (94.5% analysis rate) were divided into three groups based on their daily use time of smart device: low-use group (<4.7 hours, n=173), medium-use group (≥4.7 hours and <6.4 hours, n=174), and high-use group (≥6.4 hours, n=173). The more frequent use groups showed a higher level of dependency on the smartphone. Breakfast was found to be the most commonly skipped meal; and the high-use group showed a higher response of irregular meals than low-use group. In assessment of eating habits, the subjects with less smart device usage ate more regularly and at fixed times, did not overeat, drank milk everyday, and did not consume processed food as often. To sum up, more irregularity of meal and undesirable eating habits were found among university students with higher use of smart devices. These results suggest that a control of smart device usage would lead to a more desirable dietary life in university students.

Smartphone Addiction/ Overuse and Its Effect on Dietary Behavior and Lifestyle -A Systematic Review

“…The participants who have reduced smart device usage, were assessed to eat more regularly and at fixed times than those with high smart device users, who were assessed to overeat and consume processed foods more often. The results suggested that limiting mobile phone usage will show favorable results [15].…”

“…Numerous studies have been performed to investigate the association/link between smartphone addictions & dietary patterns among school/college/university students. A study conducted by Sun-Hee Lim et al in 2016 [15], among the university Korean students, intention of the research was to explore the dietary behavior, lifestyle, food & beverages consumption pattern, and smartphones' usage among 550 students of university. It was an observational cross-sectional study and data was collected via survey using questionnaires.…”

“…Among high-usage group. When evaluating the eating behavior, the students who had reduced time spent on smartphone usage were found to eat with regularity and punctuality with healthy food choices [15].…”

“…Slow eating speed, taste changes, limiting salty food, excessive drinking, oils/nuts & fatty meat consumption and frequent meal skipping was more prevalent in smartphone addicted students as compared to normal users [27]. Therefore, in both studies researchers suggested the common intervention that there is an extreme urge to initiate effective nutrition awareness programs to solve unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits from high-risk smartphone users in university students [15,27].…”

“…Among highusage group. When evaluating the eating behavior, the students who had reduced time spent on smartphone usage were found to eat with regularity and punctuality with healthy food choices [15]. In 6 th grade Korean schoolchildren, students who overuse smartphone and spend more than 2 hours per day have paid more money for snack foods, preferably ice cream, junk food, and fizzy drinks [16].…”