As a university professor, I typically preface each lecture with, “It’s time to put your cell phones away for the next 50 minutes.” Reluctantly, and sometimes with what appears to be great difficulty, the students put their phones out of reach.
Indeed, the cell phone’s popularity is increasing along with its functionality in all populations, including college students. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, more than 90 percent of college-aged adults own a cell phone. But how does cell-phone use affect college students’ health and academic performance?
A study published in PLoS One found that cell phone use is associated with physical activity in a manner similar to other types of sedentary behaviors, such as watching television, using a computer and driving a car. In this study, more than 300 college students were surveyed about their cell phone use, leisure activities and physical activity. The researchers also had 49 students complete a treadmill test to determine their heart and lung fitness.
The researchers found that the students averaged just over 300 minutes of cell phone use per day. In other words, the students spent about five hours a day on their cell phone, with more than 88 percent using their cell phone primarily for leisure. And high-frequency cell phone users tended to be less physically fit than low-frequency users. It appears that high-frequency cell phone users are more likely to forgo being physically active in order to use their cell phones for more sedentary activities such as using Facebook, Twitter, video games and surfing the Internet.
While cell phones provide many of the same temptations as television and Internet-connected computers, the main difference is that cell phones fit in our pockets and purses and are with us wherever we go. They provide an ever-present invitation to sit and play.
It’s not all bad news. Michael Rebold and his colleagues examined the effects of the common cell phone functions of texting, talking and listening to music while college students ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes, compared to a control condition where the students had no access to their cell phones. During each session, average treadmill speed, heart rate and how much the students enjoyed the treadmill running were assessed.
The researchers found that college students who used their cell phone for listening to music ran faster and enjoyed the treadmill run more than during the other conditions. However, texting and talking interfered with their treadmill exercise and reduced how fast the students ran.
And forcing my college students to put their cell phones away during a lecture may be good for their academic success. Research published in Sage Publications found cell phone use is associated with decreased academic performance in college students, even after controlling for many other factors related to academic success.
The cell phone has become ever-present on college campuses. Like most things in life, moderation is key. Hopefully, college students will adopt the practice that “less is more,” at least in regards to their cell phone use. This practice may result in making them healthier, wealthier and wiser.
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Are Cell Phones Making College Students Unhealthy, Unwealthy and Unwise? originally appeared on usnews.com
