Dietary and Lifestyle Habits and Dietary Behaviors According to Level of Smartphone Addiction in University Students in Kyungnam Province

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was performed to investigate dietary and lifestyle habits, dietary behaviors, and food frequency according to the level of smartphone addiction among 408 university students in Kyungnam province. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software package. Based on using the Smartphone Addiction Poneness Scale, 28.4% were potential-risk smartphone users and while 13.2% were high-risk smartphone users. The levels of depression (P<0.05) and stress (P<0.05) and frequency of snacks (P<0.01) were higher in high-risk and potential-risk groups than in the normal group, and meal frequency was highest in the high-risk group (P<0.01). Percentages of using a smartphone at meal time (P<0.01) and snacking while using a smartphone (P<0.01) were higher in potential-risk and high-risk groups than in the normal group. Percentages of skipping meals (P<0.001) and slow eating speed (P<0.01) due to using a smartphone were higher in high-risk and potential-risk groups than in the normal group, and percentages of taste change (P<0.05) were higher in the high-risk group than in the potential-risk and normal groups. Percentages of exercise reduction (P<0.01), body weight increase (P<0.05), sleep disturbance (P<0.001), and increase in stress (P<0.01) due to using a smartphone were higher in the high-risk group than in the normal group. Scores of dietary behaviors avoiding salty food (P<0.01) and excessive drinking (P<0.001) were higher in the high-risk group than in the normal group. Scores for frequency of oil or nuts (P<0.05) and fatty meats (P<0.01) were highest in the high-risk group. Our results suggest that effective nutrition education programs are needed to solve unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits from high-risk smartphone users in university students.