(STUDY FINDS) – Teenagers who use smartphones for over four hours a day are at a “serious” risk for certain health issues, a new study warns. Researchers say that increased smartphone use has been linked to psychiatric disorders, sleep disturbances, eye problems, and musculoskeletal issues.
The study found that adolescents with more than four hours of daily smartphone use exhibited higher rates of stress, suicidal thoughts, and substance use compared to those with less usage. They also had a significantly higher rate of obesity.
“Smartphones have become essential platforms in the lives of young people,” says Professor Jong Ho Cha from Hanyang University Medical Center, in a media release. “Adolescents’ daily lives are connected to smartphones for various purposes, and this trend has been accelerated by school closures and social distancing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As smartphone usage time increases, growing evidence suggests that the smartphone is related to many adverse health effects among adolescents.”
