Smartphone use while eating increases caloric ingestion.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Behavioral Science
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Modern lifestyles increasingly integrate digital devices into daily activities, including mealtimes.
• The potential impact of digital distractions, such as smartphones, on eating behaviors and caloric consumption remains an area of interest.
• Understanding these influences is crucial for public health and dietary guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of smartphone use during meals on caloric intake.
• To analyze how distractions influence total caloric and macronutrient consumption.
• To identify potential confounding factors like sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) in this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-two adults participated in controlled snack tests over four sessions.
• Experimental conditions included no distraction, smartphone use, and reading a printed text.
• Caloric intake was measured post-consumption, with analyses including masticatory parameters, BMI, and stress levels.

Main Results:

• Eating with distractions (smartphones or reading) significantly increased total caloric intake by approximately 15% compared to eating without distraction.
• A significant effect of the eating condition was observed on total caloric and lipid intake.
• Interactions between condition and sex influenced lipid intake, and energy intake varied by sex and age.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone use during meals elevates caloric and lipid intake.
• Distraction during eating significantly impacts energy consumption, irrespective of the type of distraction (digital vs. print).
• Individual factors such as sex and age modulate the relationship between mealtime distractions and caloric intake.