Warning!! More than 5 hours a day on smartphone increases risk of obesity and heart disease

Individuals who used their smartphones more than 5 hours a day had a 43 percent increased risk of obesity and were twice likely to have more sugary drinks, fast food, sweets, snacks and have decreased physical activity making them vulnerable to heart disease, showed a new study presented at the ACC Latin America Conference 2019.

The participating students were twice as likely to Twenty-six percent of the subjects who were overweight and 4.6 percent who were obese spent more than five hours using their device.

Nowadays smartphones have become a part and parcel people's life especially the young generation. While it has provided a mod of entertaining and access to information it has also led to a reduction in physical activity.

Researchers analyzed 1060 students of the Health Sciences Faculty at the Simón Bolívar University from June to December 2018. The study group consisted of 700 women and 360 men. With an average age of 19 years and 20 years respectively. Participating men were 36.1 percent likely to be overweight and 42.6 percent likely to be obese. Women were 63.9 percent likely to be overweight and 57.4 percent likely to be obese.

"It is important that the general population know and be aware that, although mobile technology is undoubtedly attractive for its multiple purposes, portability, comfort, access to countless services, information and entertainment sources, it should also be used to improve habits and healthy behaviors," said Mirary Mantilla-Morrón, a cardiac pulmonary and vascular rehabilitation specialist at the Health Sciences Faculty at the Simón Bolívar University in Barranquilla, Colombia, and the lead author of the study. "Spending too much time in front of the Smartphone facilitates sedentary behaviors, reduces the time of physical activity, which increases the risk of premature death, diabetes, heart disease, different types of cancer, osteoarticular discomfort and musculoskeletal symptoms."

"The results of this study allow us to highlight one of the main causes of physical obesity, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease," Mantilla-Morrón said. "We have also determined that the amount of time in which a person is exposed to the use of technologies -- specifically prolonged cell phone use -- is associated with the development of obesity."

For further details, click on the link

poster abstract