Influence of addictions to new technologies on young people's sleeping and eating habits

Abstract

[EN] Introduction: An addiction can be defined as a pathological state that leads to dependence, blocks the control of different aspects of people¿s daily lives, influences conscience and diminishes interests in learning and communicating. Information and communication technologies are a series of electronic devices that are increasingly being used by the general population that have helped create a new lifestyle, especially for youths. Their suitable use entails many advantages and benefits, but their improper use can mean serious problems, of which inappropriate sleeping and eating habits stand out, which have several repercussions on the lives of young people. Surfing the Internet, using a mobile telephone, playing video games or watching TV have changed people¿s lifestyle. This new lifestyle is strongly influencing the young people who were born in this era of advanced technologies. Therefore, we can state that the new technologies field is one of the aspects in which young people possess considerable knowledge and skills. Objective: To know the impact of addiction to new technologies and their excessive use on young people¿s sleeping and eating habits. Method: the literature search was done in various databases via PubMed, Scielo, ProQuest and Wiley Online Library. Twelve articles that met the set criteria, conducted on excessive use or addiction of ICT and about sleeping and eating habits, were analysed. Results: The studied population included both children and adolescents (8-26 years) because the use of ICT is widespread in both these life stages. The most widely used technology was the Internet, which is a tool found in almost any electronic device. All the studies stated that prolonged ICT use makes young people more prone to sleepiness in the morning. They also confirmed that the likelihood of daytime sleepiness in Internet addicts is 5.9-fold higher than for non-addicts, and that the more time they spend using electronic means, the later they go to bed (p=.003), which implies irregular sleeping habits. These studies also reported that the youths who spend more time using ICT, TV, the Internet or video games are more likely to eat unhealthy food, and drink more sugary energy drinks and fast-food. Therefore, a significant relation was found between using electronic means and not eating breakfast or supper. Conclusions: addictions to new technologies negatively influence young people¿s sleeping and eating habits.