The Association of Smartphone Usage Duration with Physical Fitness among Chinese University Students

Wang Li, Yufei Cui, Qiang Gong, Cong Huang and Feng Guo
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Wang Li: Department of Physical Education, Institute of Exercise Epidemiology, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian 223003, China
Yufei Cui: Department of Physical Education, Institute of Exercise Epidemiology, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian 223003, China
Qiang Gong: Department of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808575, Japan
Cong Huang: Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310007, China
Feng Guo: Department of Physical Education, Institute of Exercise Epidemiology, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian 223003, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Background: The use of smartphones has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, especially among the youth. However, smartphone overuse has been reported to be related to several negative mental and physical health outcomes. Although the association between smartphone use and physical fitness has been investigated in several studies, these studies only focused on specific elements of physical fitness, such as grip strength. In addition, evidence on young adults is limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association between the duration of smartphone use and physical fitness among Chinese university students. Methods: A total of 11,242 university students volunteered to participate in the study. The duration of smartphone use was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Physical fitness tests consisted of a 50-m sprint and vital capacity tests for both sexes, a 1000-m run and pull-up test for male students, and an 800-m run and sit-up test for female students. Results: The duration of smartphone use among the participants was 5.4 h/day for male students and 6.1 h/day for female students on average. After adjusting for confounding factors, in male students, a long duration of smartphone use was significantly associated with a slow 50 m sprint and 1000 m run time, lower pull-up times, and poor vital capacity ( p = 0.004, 0.002, 0.002 and 0.040, respectively). In female students, a long duration of smartphone use was associated with a slow 800 m run time ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that longer duration of smartphone use was associated with lower physical fitness among Chinese university students. The duration of smartphone use may be an influencing factor for physical fitness.

Keywords: smartphone use; physical fitness; university students; cross-sectional study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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