Relationship between smartphone use and sedentary behavior: a school-based study with adolescents

Abstract

The aims of this study were a) to describe the smartphone use and sedentary behavior (SB) on typical weekdays and weekends, and b) to verify the association between smartphone use and SB among adolescents. This is a cross-sectional population school-based, which surveyed 984 students from Uberaba, Minas Gerais, in 2015. Gender-stratified analysis were performed using t-tests, Pearson’s correlation (r) and multiple linear regression (β). Girls used more smartphones than boys (weekdays: 6.58 hrs vs. 5.29 hrs, p < 0.001; weekend: 7.81 hrs vs. 6.18 hrs, p < 0.001). Both genders used more smartphones in the weekend (p < 0.001) than weekdays. SB was higher in girls than boys (weekdays: 5.34 hrs vs. 4.48 hrs, p < 0.001, weekend: 5.22 hrs vs. 4.38 hrs, p < 0.001). SB was higher for both genders at weekend (p < 0.001) than on weekdays. Correlation between SB and smartphone use ranged from weak to moderate in both genders (weekdays: boys, r = 0.30; girls, r = 0.17, p < 0.001; weekend: boys, r = 0.39; girls, r = 0.17, p < 0.001). Smartphone use was positively associated with SB during the weekdays (boys: β = 0.25, girls: β = 0.19, p < 0.001) and weekend (boys: β = 0.31; girls: β = 0.14, p < 0.001). Girls showed greater SB and smartphone use than boys, regardless if compared on weekdays or weekend. SB and smartphone were positively associated in both genders.