Risks of Smartphone Ownership in Early Adolescence

Excessive smartphone use in children and teens has been associated with poorer mental health, insufficient sleep, and increased sedentary behavior. But does simply owning a smartphone in early adolescence carry these risks? And does age at smartphone acquisition matter?

To answer these questions, researchers tracked 11,000 U.S. youth annually for 4 years, beginning in late childhood (mean age at baseline, 10 years). They examined associations between smartphone ownership and age at acquisition and risks of depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep (<9 hours), adjusting for variables including pubertal status, parental monitoring, and ownership of other screen-related devices.