2nd Edition of Diabetes and Endocrinology World Conference 2026

Abstract

Smartphone (or mobile phone/screen) addiction has emerged as a significant public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults, in the new millennium. Addiction to smartphone (or mobile phone) is closely linked with diabetes [a condition blood sugar (glucose) is too high] among youth. The author of this work is of the considered research view that excessive reliance on mobile devices causes negative consequences in various aspects of life. Excessive usage (or addiction) involves a pattern of spending prolonged amounts of time on smartphone, resulting in obesity and diabetes. This research work primarily aims at presenting evidence-based description on linkages between smartphone addiction and emergence of diabetes among children and teenagers.  Secondary data (largely ‘qualitative’ in nature) have been used. Data were collected from secondary sources, such as journal articles, books, book chapter, etc. Method of data analysis is ‘descriptive’.

Analysis of data in this review work indicates that smartphones (which are touchscreen devices in the modern time) with multiple functions, have become an integral component of life of people. These devices allow people to connect instantly with friends and family. Additionally, they provide a wide range of applications for communication and entertainment, besides being portable and easy to use at any time and place. In the context of negative health outcomes, it is pertinent to note that smartphones have several features with drive youth to get addicted to. For instance, smartphone devices have wide range of functions that allow users to surf the Internet, navigate to places, send emails, playing games, and use social networking sites. These features have resulted in excessive smartphone use and dependence, especially among teenagers. In addition, smartphone addiction among them is primarily driven by persuasive app design (like infinite scrolling and random reward systems). It is important to note that screen addiction is responsible for irregular eating and poor sleep pattern among them this, in turn, is a major contributors to diabetes risk in teenagers.

Author of this research argues that mobile phone (or smartphone) addiction does not directly cause diabetes, but it serves as a massive amplifier for major risk factors like sedentary behaviour, poor diet, and sleep disruption. In youth, these compounding habits drastically elevate the long-term risk of developing prediabetes and type-2 diabetes (a chronic condition where the body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels). It is pertinent to note that some adolescents may experience physical symptoms from excessive phone use, which often includes long periods in positions that are not good for their posture. These physical symptoms can include (a) eyestrain, (b) headaches, (c) neck pain, and (d) back pain. Smartphone addiction is, thus, a contributing factor for emergence of several types of illness, including diabetes, among children and teenagers. This happens because of the fact that due to extended (excess) hours spent on smartphone, children are not involved with physical activities, resulting on obesity. This situation, in turn, results in diabetes. Obese children are more likely to develop type-2 diabetes than normal-weight children. Excess body fat around abdomen causes the body's cells to become resistant to insulin, forcing the pancreas to work overtime and eventually leading to type-2 diabetes.          

This research briefly concludes that addiction to smartphone indirectly drives diabetes risk in youth by promoting (a) sedentary lifestyles, (b) poor sleep hygiene, and (c) unhealthy dietary habits. Continuous screen time replaces physical exercise and disrupts hunger-regulating hormones, thereby significantly increasing the likelihood of childhood and adolescent obesity (which is primary precursor to type 2 diabetes). The way forward is to effectively curb smartphone addiction in children and youth.