The Effects of Smartphone and Internet Gaming Addiction on Eating Attitudes Among University Students

Abstract

Objective Smartphone addiction is a public health problem increasing with the technologic developments. It particularly affects the university students negatively in terms of psychological, physical, academic achievement and social relations. This study aims to investigate the relation of eating attitudes between smartphone addiction and internet gaming disorder, also the relation of smartphone addiction with obesity.Methods This cross-sectional and prospective study is consisted of 358 volunteer university students. Socio-demographic data form, Short Form of Smartphone Addiction Scale (SF-SAS), Eating Attitude Test (EAT), and internet gaming disorder scale were administered to the participants.Results Mean age of the participants was 22.27±3.10 years and 59.8% (n=214) were female. In terms of the variables “body mass index, body weight, faculty of the student, economic status of the family, and the people they live with together” were significantly different from controls. Also “monthly mobile phone invoice, EAT score, SF-SAS scores” were statistically different. A significant difference was found among “body weight groups” in terms of both EAT score and SF-SAS. According to the linear regression model variables of “gender, smartphone addiction, and school year” were determined as the predictors for EAT.Conclusion Our current study has revealed the relation between smartphone addiction and eating attitudes, and obesity. Smartphone addiction may lead to an increase in body weight, by affecting eating attitudes. Therefore, the effect of eating behavior disorders in the emergence of the smartphone addiction should be considered. Multi-disciplinary solutions are required to prevent this addiction that may increase over time.

Association between Lifestyle Factors and Weight Gain among University Students in Japan during COVID-19 Mild Lockdown: A Quantitative Study

“…The prevalence of gaming disorder among young adults is reported to be 10-15% in Asia and 1-10% in the Western countries [28]. Additionally, studies evaluating the health status of adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic reported that internet addiction and gaming disorders exert an adverse effect on health, causing disorders, such as obesity and weight gain, due to sleep deficit [29][30][31]. Moreover, in Japan, with the spread of COVID-19 infection, the incidence of internet gaming disorder has increased [32], and the association with weight gain may have been confirmed as one of the phenotypes of this health disorder in our study.…”

Association between lifestyle factors and weight in Japan university students during COVID-19 mild lockdown: a quantitative study

“…In particular, it has been suggested that sleep disturbance disrupts the circadian rhythm and is associated with obesity and hepatic and intestinal diseases caused by the dysregulation of the physiological functions of hepatocytes, gastrointestinal cells, and adipocytes [22,23]. In studies that evaluated the health status of adolescents and youth in the COVID-19 pandemic, game usage and gaming disorder as well as smartphone addiction were reported to exert an adverse effect on health leading to disorders, such as overweight and weight gain via sleep deficit [24][25][26].…”

Dietary Habits and Gaming Behaviors of Portuguese and Brazilian Esports Players

“…Other research also demonstrated an association between a higher degree of IGD and a higher prevalence of inadequate dietary habits [45]. The attempt to prolong game periods can lead to the choice of more convenient but less nutritionally adequate food options, such as fast food, and longer periods of distraction can decrease the awareness of what is being ingested and decrease the ability to regulate food ingestion [50]. It is also likely that increasing professionalization, implying a higher commitment to esports, results in less concern with following a healthy eating pattern.…”