The impact of cell phone use on the intensity and liking of a bout of treadmill exercise

Effects of Smartphone Activities on Postural Balance in Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities

Considering the rising prevalence of smartphone usage among adolescents with intellectual disabilities and their frequent motor challenges, understanding its impact on their physical well-being is important. This study aims to investigate the impact of smartphone activities on postural balance in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Two groups of adolescents participated in the study: an intellectual disability group (IDG) (n = 16) and atypical development group (TDG) (n = 12). Static postural balance, using a stabilometric platform on firm and foam surfaces, and dynamic balance, using the Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT), were performed under various conditions, such as playing a game, watching videos, video calls, and listening to music. The center of pressure (CoP) values significantly increased (p < 0.05) during all smartphone activities (except listening to music) compared to the control condition in both groups, with the IDG demonstrated a more pronounced increase (p < 0.05) during playing video games and video calls on the firm surface. TUGT scores significantly increased (p < 0.05) during smartphone activities, with greater changes observed in the IDG (p < 0.05), and significantly decreased (p < 0.01) during listening to music in both groups. Our study suggests that adolescents with intellectual disabilities need special tools and guidance to ensure their safety and well-being when using smartphones.

Physical activity influences the mobile phone addiction among Chinese undergraduates: The moderating effect of exercise type

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Mobile phone addiction (MPA) has recently aroused much attention due to its high incidence and considerable health hazards. Although some existing studies have documented that physical activity is negatively associated with MPA, it is little known about the potential effects underlying this relation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity and MPA among undergraduates in China, and to further examine the moderating effect of exercise type in the relation between them.

METHODS

By the quota sampling, a total of 650 participants engaged in this survey and completed relevant measurements including physical activity rating scale-3 (PARS-3) and mobile phone addiction tendency scale (MPATS).

RESULTS

Gender (β = 0.271, P < 0.05) and major (β = -0.169, P < 0.05) could significantly predict MPA, respectively, and physical activity was an imperative protective factor to decrease MPA (β = -0.266, P < 0.001). While the physical activity level enhanced from none exercise to medium exercise, an optimum dose-response relationship would emerge between physical activity and MPA (F (3,604) = 4.799, P < 0.01). Most important, the relation between physical activity and MPA can be moderated by exercise type. Especially in terms of aerobic endurance exercise, the higher level of physical activity the undergraduates performed, the lower degree of MPA would be suffered by them (β = -0.266, P < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

These findings could be conducive to better understand the positive and potential effects of physical activity on the intervention in MPA, and served as a persuasive evidence that as for university students, actively engaging in aerobic endurance exercise with the medium activity level would be a practicable exercise strategy to deal with MPA in daily lifestyle behavior.

Examining the Relationship between Cellphone Use Behavior, Perceived Exercise Benefit and Physical Exercise Level Among University Students in Taiwan

This study investigated how perceived exercise benefit affects the relationship between cellphone usage and physical activity level. This cross-sectional study performed a survey of Taiwanese university students selected using cluster sampling. A total of 975 students were recruited (male = 367, female = 608, average age = 20.10 ± 1.42). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression. The results show that cellphone usage was negatively correlated with physical activity level, whereas perceived exercise benefit was negatively correlated with cellphone usage and positively correlated with physical activity level. In hierarchical regression, the main effects of cellphone usage and perceived exercise benefit explained 22% of the variance in physical activity level. After controlling for the main effect, the interaction term accounted for an additional 1% of the variance. Cellphone usage and perceived exercise benefit thus had significant power to explain physical activity level. The results of this study reveal a novel phenomenon—that students who perceived the benefits of exercise to be greater are more physically active.

Effects of the use of mobile phone on postural and locomotor tasks: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Using a mobile phone while performing a postural and locomotor tasks is a common, daily situation. Conversing or sending messages (SMS) while walking account for a significant share of accidental injuries. Therefore, understanding the consequences of using a mobile phone on balance and walking is important, all the more so when these postural and locomotor tasks are aggravated by a disease.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Our objective was to conduct a scoping review on the influence of a dual-task situation - generated by the use of mobile phone - on users' postural and/or locomotor tasks.

METHODS

The literature search was conducted in English on PubMed/Medline and CINHAL databases, using keywords associated with postural and locomotor tasks and with the use of mobile phone. Study location, population, number of subjects, experimental design, types of phone use, evaluated postural-locomotor tasks and expected effects were then analyzed.

RESULTS AND SIGNIFICANCE

46 studies were included in this work, 24 of which came from North America. All studies compared postural and locomotor tasks with and without the use of a smartphone. Ten studies also compared at least 2 groups with different characteristics. Only 4 studies included pathological subjects. Various modalities were tested, and most studies focused on walking. Results show that the use of smartphones slows down movement and induces a systematic imbalance, except when listening to music. The dual task of "using the smartphone during a postural or locomotor tasks" induces systematic disturbances of balance and movement, which must be taken into account in the rehabilitation approach. Future studies will have to extend the knowledge regarding pathological situations.

Sedentary Behavior and Problematic Smartphone Use in Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Self-Control

This study investigated smartphone use characteristics including the purpose of smartphone use (i.e., leisure, learning, or work) and situational smartphone use (i.e., sitting, standing, or moving about) in Chinese adolescents. Moreover, it tested the moderating role of self-control in the link between sedentary behavior and problematic smartphone use. A total of 947 adolescents completed measures of the purpose of their smartphone use, situational smartphone use, sedentary behavior, self-control, time on smartphone, and smartphone addiction. Results showed that the majority of smartphone use was for leisure and learning, and 90.9% of adolescents reported typically sitting as they used the smartphone. Problematic smartphone use was positively correlated with sedentary behavior and negatively correlated with self-control. Moreover, the relationship between sedentary behavior and problematic smartphone use was moderated by self-control, in that the negative correlation was stronger for adolescents with low self-control and weaker for those with high self-control. These results contribute to the understanding of when sedentary behavior is associated with problematic smartphone use. Several limitations and implications are discussed in this study.

Physical Exercise Decreases the Mobile Phone Dependence of University Students in China: The Mediating Role of Self-Control

This study aimed to explore the relationship between physical exercise (PE) and mobile phone dependence (MPD) in Chinese university students and verify the potential role of self-control (SC) in mediating the decrease of MPD by PE. Through the quota sampling, 608 students that complied with the requirements were surveyed from 10 universities in China. PE, MPD, and SC were assessed using standard scales. For data analysis, t-tests, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression, and regression analysis were carried out in turn. The results showed significant gender differences in PE, MPD, and SC. For male students, the level of PE and score of SC were higher than those in females, yet the MPD score was lower. PE and SC were negatively related to MPD (r = -0.124, p < 0.01; r = -0.563, p < 0.001), so both could remarkably predict MPD (β = -1.00, p < 0.05; β = -0.552, p < 0.001). Gender was also a significant predictor for MPD (β = 0.089, p < 0.05). PE could, to some extent, decrease MPD, in which SC played a significant mediating role-its mediating effect accounted for nearly 71% of the total effect. The present study shows that PE is negatively correlated with MPD, and SC mediates the decrease of MPD by PE for university students in China. This indicates that the improvement of SC by PE could be a highly trustworthy and practicable way to effectively address the issue of MPD in university students or other young people across the world.

Smartphone Use and Physical Activity among College Students in Health Science-Related Majors in the United States and Thailand

Smartphone use among college students is prevalent across the world. Recently, research has begun to investigate the relationship between smartphone use and physical activity. This study examined the amount of time spent using a smartphone and the physical activity (PA) levels among college students majoring in health science-related disciplines in the United States (US) and Thailand. Using convenience sampling, college students in the US (n = 242) and Thailand (n = 194) completed an online survey, in Fall 2016, assessing smartphone usage and PA. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and two-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). US students reported more days per week ( U = 15,150.0 , p = 0.00 , r = 0.33 ) and greater duration of PA ( U = 11,234.0 , p = 0.00 , r = 0.33 ) than Thai students while Thai students used smartphones more per day than US students ( U = 13,137.5 , p = 0.00 , r = 0.40 ). No difference existed for years of smartphone use ( U = 22,207.0 , p = 0.27 ). Greater smartphone use per day inversely related to days per week of engaging in PA among Thai students ( X 2 ( 3 ) = 10.55 , p = 0.01 , ε 2 = 0.06 ), but not among US students ( X 2 ( 3 ) = 2.39 , p = 0.50 ). The high smartphone use among college students, especially in Thailand, may be a barrier to PA as well as a strategy for PA promotion in higher education settings. Research should examine the best techniques for smartphone application development to promote PA in college settings.

Cell phone use predicts being an "active couch potato": results from a cross-sectional survey of sufficiently active college students

Objective

“Active couch potato” describes an individual who is sufficiently physically active yet highly sedentary. Cell phones promote activities understood as sedentary behaviors (e.g. watching videos). Research demonstrates that cell phone use is positively associated with sedentary behavior. Although sedentary behavior typically displaces physical activity, no relationship between cell phone use and physical activity has been found. Thus, it is possible that some sufficiently active individuals are also high-frequency cell phone users and therefore highly sedentary. In other words, cell phone use may predict being an “active couch potato” among active people. Testing this hypothesis was the purpose of this study. “Active couch potatoes” are of concern as the negative effects of excessive sedentary behavior are independent of the benefits of physical activity.

Methods

College students (228) completed validated surveys assessing physical activity, sedentary behavior, and cell phone use. Using a previously validated method, participants were rated as sufficiently active or not based upon their physical activity survey score. Participants who were not sufficiently active were excluded from further analysis resulting in a final sample of 171. These sufficiently active individuals were categorized as “active couch potatoes” if they were also highly sedentary (i.e. sitting for eight or more hours/day). Logistic regression determined if cell phone use predicted being categorized as an “active couch potato.”

Results

Cell phone use was a significant, positive predictor of being an “active couch potato.” With each additional hour of daily cell phone use, the odds of becoming an “active couch potato” increased by 11.4% (Wald = 5.934, P = 0.015, Exp(B) = 1.114). On average, active couch potatoes used their cell phone 1.7 hours more each day than their sufficiently active but not overly sedentary peers.

Conclusion

Increased cell phone use was a significant predictor of being an “active couch potato.” Explanations and implications are discussed.

Experimental investigation of exercise-related hedonic responses to preferred and imposed media content

Background: We evaluated the differential influence of preferred versus imposed media selections on distinct hedonic responses to an acute bout of treadmill walking.

Methods: Twenty university students were recruited for this [160 person-visit] laboratory experiment, which employed a within-subject, counter-balanced design. Participants were exposed to 8 experimental conditions, including (1) Exercise Only, (2) Texting Only, (3) Preferred Phone Call, (4) Imposed Phone Call, (5) Preferred Music Playlist, (6) Imposed Music Playlist, (7)Preferred Video and (8) Imposed Video. During each visit (except Texting Only), participants completed a 10-minute bout of walking on the treadmill at a self-selected pace. Walking speed was identical for all experimental conditions. Before, at the midpoint of exercise, and post-exercise, participants completed the Feeling Scale (FS) and the Felt Arousal Scale (FAS) to measure acute hedonic response. The Affective Circumplex Scale was administered pre-exercise and post-exercise.

Results: Significant pre-post change scores were observed for happy (Imposed Call: P=0.05;Preferred Music: P=0.02; Imposed Video: P=0.03), excited (Exercise Only: P=0.001; PreferredVideo: P=0.01; Imposed Video: P=0.03), sad (Preferred Music: P=0.05), anxious (ExerciseOnly: P=0.05; Preferred Video: P=0.01), and fatigue (Exercise Only: P=0.03; Imposed Video:P=0.002). For the FS all change scores were statistically significant from pre-to-mid and pre-topost (P<0.05).

Conclusion: This experiment provides strong evidence that entertaining media platforms substantively influences hedonic responses to exercise. Implications of these findings are discussed.

"Pokémon Go!" May Promote Walking, Discourage Sedentary Behavior in College Students

OBJECTIVE

To assess self-reported walking and sedentary behavior in young adults before and after downloading "Pokémon Go!".

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In September 2016, a sample of 358 (19.8 ± 2.1 years old, n = 187 females) college students who had downloaded "Pokémon Go!" on their cellular telephones (i.e., cell phones) were surveyed for weekly walking and sedentary behavior via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. A single interview was administered to participants who estimated their walking and sedentary behavior at three time points: the week immediately preceding their download of "Pokémon Go!" (Baseline), the first week after downloading the game (Time 1), and the week the survey was completed (Time 2). Differences in self-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior across the three time points and across the two genders were compared via analyses of variance.

RESULTS

There was a significant main effect of time (F ≥ 49.3, P ≤ 0.001) for walking and sedentary behavior. Participants reported greater (t ≥ 9.5, P < 0.001) daily walking during Time 1 (218.6 ± 156.3 minutes) and Time 2 (182.7 ± 172.1 minutes) versus the baseline (108.5 ± 110.8 minutes). Walking behavior was also significantly greater (t = 4.1, P < 0.001) at Time 1 versus Time 2. Participants reported greater (t ≥ 6.5, P < 0.001) daily sedentary behavior during baseline (346.6 ± 201.3 minutes) versus both Time 1 (261.7 ± 172.4 minutes) and Time 2 (284.3 ± 175.4 minutes). Sedentary behavior was also significantly greater (t = 2.6, P = 0.03) at Time 2 versus Time 1. There were no effects of gender (F ≤ 1.8, P ≥ 0.17).

CONCLUSION

Playing "Pokémon Go!" was associated with increased self-reported walking and decreased sedentary behavior. Such games hold promise as technology that may promote physical activity and discourage sedentary behavior.

The Effect of the Presence of an Internet-Connected Mobile Tablet Computer on Physical Activity Behavior in Children

BACKGROUND

Mobile Internet-connected electronic devices provide access to activities that have traditionally been associated with sedentary behavior. Because they are portable, these devices can be utilized in any environment. Therefore, providing children with access to these devices in environments that typically promote physical activity may result in a reduction in physical activity behavior.

PURPOSE

To assess children's physical and sedentary (ie, sitting) activity with and without the presence of a mobile Internet-connected tablet computer.

METHODS

A total of 20 children [6.7 (1.9) y old] participated in 2 simulated recess conditions in a gymnasium on separate days. During each condition, children had free-choice access physical activity options and a table of sedentary activities for 40 minutes. During 1 session, the iPad was present, and in the other session, it was not. Physical activity was monitored via an accelerometer, and sedentary time was monitored via a stopwatch.

RESULTS

Children significantly (P ≤ .03) reduced average physical activity intensity and increased their sedentary behavior with the iPad present [4.4 (4.0) metabolic equivalents/min and 20.9 (12.4) min sitting] versus the condition without the iPad present [5.3 (4.0) metabolic equivalents/min and 13.6 (13.2) min sitting].

CONCLUSION

Introducing an mobile Internet-connected tablet computer into a gymnasium reduced children's physical activity intensity by 17% and increased sedentary behavior by 54%.

Cellular telephone use during free-living walking significantly reduces average walking speed

BACKGROUND

Cellular telephone (cell phone) use decreases walking speed in controlled laboratory experiments and there is an inverse relationship between free-living walking speed and heart failure risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of cell phone use on walking speed in a free-living environment.

METHODS

Subjects (n = 1142) were randomly observed walking on a 50 m University campus walkway. The time it took each subject to walk 50 m was recorded and subjects were coded into categories: cell phone held to the ear (talking, n = 95), holding and looking at the cell phone (texting, n = 118), not visibly using the cell phone (no use, n = 929).

RESULTS

Subjects took significantly (p < 0.001) longer traversing the walkway when talking (39.3 s) and texting (37.9 s) versus no use (35.3 s).

CONCLUSION

As was the case with the previous laboratory experiments, cell phone use significantly reduces average speed during free-living walking.