New research suggests that a lot of time spent on smartphones and other devices could be linked to putting on extra pounds.
Nowadays, we have no shortage of technology. Our smartphones alone can give us everything from communication with others to weather reports to music we want to hear to driving instructions to our next location. Then, throw in Apple watches, tablets, laptops, and the like, and we’ve got an endless stream of technological connectivity at our fingertips 24/7. But this wired up world we live in may come at a cost above and beyond the subscription fees we sign up for to be part of it. New research suggests that a lot of time spent on smartphones and other devices could be linked to putting on extra pounds.
The study, which took place at Rice University in Houston, Texas, found that the media multitasking associated with our use of smartphones and similar digital devices is associated with greater weight gain. These results are based on an investigation that included 132 male and female students between the ages of 18 and 23.
After providing information on their height and weight, all the subjects completed a questionnaire that covered topics such as how often they tend to multitask and whether they are easily distracted. The researchers teased out inappropriate or compulsive cellphone behaviors with targeted questions like, “Do you feel the urge to check your phone while you’re talking to someone else?” Once the scores were analyzed against the participants’ body mass index (BMI), it was determined that those with higher scores of inappropriate or compulsive cellphone use generally had higher BMIs than their peers with lower scores.
The results serve as a good reminder to us that, if nothing else, cellphones can put us in danger of getting distracted, which is associated with mindless eating. If you’re sitting around checking social media on your smartphone or laptop, don’t make food readily accessible. In a similar vein, a 2014 study at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York showed that watching fast-paced television shows and movies is also linked with eating mindlessly. And let’s not forget the damage we can do to our relationships if we are checking our phones instead of actually talking to the person in front of us. So, for all these reasons, find ways to curb your smartphone use, at the very least when you are eating or spending time with others.
So remember to put down the technology and spend time with your family and friends. Choose your food wisely!
Be sure to check out our large selection of organic and nutrient dense foods on your next visit to Whitaker’s.
