Association between mobile phone use and inattention in 7102 Chinese adolescents: a population-based cross-sectional study.
Zheng F, Gao P, He M, Li M, Wang C, Zeng Q, Zhou Z, Yu Z, Zhang L. · 2014
View Original AbstractStudents using phones over 60 minutes daily showed significantly higher rates of attention problems, suggesting screen time limits may protect focus.
Plain English Summary
Researchers studied over 7,000 Chinese middle school students to examine whether mobile phone use affects attention span. They found that students who used their phones for entertainment more than 60 minutes daily showed significantly higher rates of inattention symptoms similar to ADHD. The study suggests limiting phone use to under an hour per day may help adolescents maintain better focus.
Why This Matters
This large-scale study adds important evidence to growing concerns about mobile phone impacts on developing brains. What makes this research particularly significant is its focus on attention deficits in adolescents, whose brains are still developing and may be more vulnerable to electromagnetic field exposure. The 60-minute threshold identified here is concerning given that many teenagers far exceed this daily usage. While the study design prevents us from proving causation, the dose-response relationship (more phone time equals more attention problems) strengthens the case for caution. The reality is that this research aligns with mounting evidence suggesting EMF exposure may interfere with normal brain function, particularly in young people whose neural development continues into their twenties.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between MP use and inattention in adolescents.
A total of 7720 middle school students were involved in this cross-sectional study. Inattention was ...
In total, 7102 (91.99%) valid questionnaires were obtained. After adjusted for confounders, inattent...
Our study shows some associations between MP use and inattention in Chinese adolescents. Decreasing MP usage to less than 60 minutes per day may help adolescents to stay focused and centered.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_2014_association_between_mobile_phone_1552,
author = {Zheng F and Gao P and He M and Li M and Wang C and Zeng Q and Zhou Z and Yu Z and Zhang L.},
title = {Association between mobile phone use and inattention in 7102 Chinese adolescents: a population-based cross-sectional study.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25273315/#:~:text=Results%3A%20In%20total%2C%207102%20(,of%20the%20MP%20at%20night.},
}