ArticlePloS one2024
Does reducing smartphone use impact physical activity?
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- You are doubly excluded: the interplay of cyberostracism and perceived parental phubbing in predicting problematic smartphone use.Addictive behaviors reports · 2026Article
- Within-person reciprocal associations between problematic smartphone use and exercise adherence among university students: a four-wave random-intercept cross-lagged panel study.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Understanding smartphone use patterns in higher education: A latent class approach to behavioral and health risk typologies.PloS one · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionA sedentary lifestyle and low levels of physical activity among the population are major public health challenges due to numerous associated health risks. These behaviors are influenced by a number of environmental and cultural factors, such as screen addiction.
objectiveTo study the impact of reducing smartphone use by one hour per day for one week on physical activity.
methodWe conducted a descriptive epidemiological study that included 490 individuals. Participants were recruited by means of a media campaign called "Let's put down our smartphones challenge", which was conducted in Brest, France. The questionnaires were widely publicized, and candidates from all over France were able to participate. Data reflecting physical activity were collected before and after the challenge, one week apart, through an online questionnaire.
resultsAmong the 490 participants, 126 (25.7%) succeeded in the challenge and reduced the time spent on their smartphones by more than 60 minutes. Among those 126 participants, 112 individuals (89%) increased their physical activity. On average, participants who succeeded in the challenge reduced their smartphone use by 110.57 minutes (±53.66) (p< 0.001) and increased their number of steps by 841 (±14710) (p = 0.02). The proportion of patient reaching an increase of both 500 and 100 daily steps was statistically significant in the group reaching a reduction of smartphone use of 60 minutes versus the remainder (p = 0.016 and 0.018, respectively), but not for a cut off at 1000.
conclusionA reduction in the time spent using smartphones results in an increase in the average number of daily steps. Limiting the leisure time spent on screens is a potential strategy for addressing physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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