Impact of digital addiction on youth health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Shiferaw, Blen Dereje and Tang, Jie and Wang, Yingxue and Wang, Yihan and Wang, Yuhao and Mackay, Louisa Esi and Luo, Yunjiao and Yan, Na and Shen, Xinyu and Zhou, Tong and Zhu, Yiran and Cai, Jialin and Wang, Qingzhi and Yan, Wenjun and Gao, Xiuyin and Pan, Haifeng and Wang, Wei (2025) Impact of digital addiction on youth health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL ADDICTIONS, 14 (3). pp. 1129-1158. ISSN 2062-5871

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Abstract

Background and aims Digital addiction among youth, characterized by excessive and compulsive use of digital devices such as smartphones, computers, and social media platforms, has become a global concern. The present study aimed to investigate the association between digital addiction subtypes in youth and various health outcomes using “digital addiction” as an umbrella term. Methods We comprehensively reviewed articles reporting health outcomes related to digital addiction in youth from the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, PubMed, and Web of Science databases using a targeted search strategy and assessed them using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results Youth with digital addiction were more likely to be overweight or obese (OR: 1.25, 95%CI: 1.03–1.48), reporting poor self-rated health (OR: 1.75, 95%CI: 1.42–2.08), and experience sleep problems such as insomnia (OR: 1.46, 95%CI: 1.33–1.59) and poor sleep quality (OR: 1.50, 95%CI: 1.37–1.64). These individuals also demonstrated higher odds of mental health concerns, including suicidal tendencies (OR: 2.63, 95%CI: 2.36–2.90), symptoms of depression (OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.68–1.83), stress (OR: 2.15, 95%CI: 1.79–2.52), and anxiety (OR: 2.14, 95%CI: 1.99–2.28). Furthermore, they were more prone to engage in smoking (OR: 1.55, 95%CI: 1.41–1.68), problematic alcohol consumption (OR: 1.47, 95%CI: 1.33–1.60), and drug use (OR: 1.94, 95%CI: 1.44–2.44). Conclusions The present findings suggest that digital addiction among youth has a significant and wide range of detrimental health outcomes, including physical, mental, and behavioral issues.

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