Five hours or more using a smartphone increases the risk of obesity by 43%

By: Europa Press

A new study, presented at the ACC 2019 Latin America Conference, being held in Colombia, reveals that using a smartphone five or more hours a day carries a 43% risk of obesity more high and is more likely to have other consumption habits. Lifestyle that increases the risk of heart disease.

"It is important for the general population to know and take into account the fact that, while mobile technology is undeniably attractive for its multiple purposes, portability, comfort, access to countless services, sources of information, and more. information and entertainment, it should also be used to improve healthy habits and behaviors, "recalls Mirary Mantilla-Morrón, specialist in pulmonary and vascular cardiac rehabilitation at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Simón University Bolivar of Barranquilla, Colombia, and 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, various types of cancer, osteoarticular discomfort and musculoskeletal symptoms, "he adds.

The researchers badyzed 1,060 students from the Faculty of Health Sciences of Simón Bolívar University between June and December 2018. The working group consisted of 700 women and 360 middle-aged men, respectively, from 19 to 20 years old.

The men participating were 36.1% likely to be overweight and 42.6% to be obese. Women had a 63.9% chance of being overweight and 57.4% obese.

The researchers found that the risk of obesity increased by 43% if a smartphone was used five hours or more per day, as participating students were twice as likely to drink more sugary drinks, fast foods, sweets , to have less physical activity 26% of overweight subjects and 4.6% of obese have spent more than five hours to use their device.

"The results of this study allow us to highlight one of the leading causes of physical obesity, risk factor for cardiovascular disease – specifically Mantilla-Morrón." We also determined that the time during which a person is exposed to the use of technologies, particularly the prolonged use of cell phones, is badociated with the development of obesity. "