The Association Between Smartphone Use and Risk of Hypertension in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

The smartphone use profoundly affects human health. At present, the effect of smartphone use on the risk of hypertension in adults aged 50 years and older remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association between smartphone use and hypertension in this population.

From 2018 to 2019, people aged 50 years and older were enrolled in the Fujian Provincial Eye Study (FJES), a population-based cross-sectional survey of the public's general and ocular health in Fujian Province, China. Information on smartphone use was obtained from the baseline survey, and blood pressure measurements were obtained via standardized on-site examination. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed on the study variables. P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

This study ultimately enrolled 8,211 eligible participants aged ≥50 years, and the mean age was 64.39±8.87 years. The risk of hypertension decreased significantly with increasing smartphone use time, although people who spent more time on smartphones had higher systolic blood pressure (SBP). There was no significant association between smartphone use time and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that smartphone use time, along with age, BMI, diabetes and education level, was an independent predictor of hypertension risk.

The duration of smartphone use demonstrated a significant inverse association with hypertension risk and was identified an independent predictor of hypertension risk in adults aged 50 years and older. Thus, smartphone use duration is a potentially useful indicator for assessing the risk of hypertension in this population.