PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SPORTS PARTICIPATION, AND SMARTPHONE ADDICTION IN ADOLESCENT STUDENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

The prevalance of smartphone addiction has grown rapidly in recent years that raise serious health concerns around the globe. This study aimed to review literature involving associations of physical activity or sports participation with smartphone addiction in the student population. A systematic procedure of search was carried out to find the relevant literature within major research databases. Studies found relevant to the topic were critically evaluated against the eight-point quality assessment tool. The final appraisal resulted in the selection of 8 cross-sectional studies. Based on the cross-sectional studies, we found consistent support for positive outcomes of physical activity or sports participation on smartphone addiction among adolescent and the young student population. This review study concluded that smartphone addiction can be reduced by increasing sports participation and involvement in physical activity/exercise among adolescents and youth. Educational institutions can use sports and exercise as an interventional strategy to deal with smartphone addiction among the student population.