Relationships Among Smartphone Use, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life in Chinese College Students

This study aimed to investigate the correlations between smartphone use, physical activity, and quality of life (QOL) among Chinese college students. We enrolled 6323 students who were chosen from three Chinese universities. All participants completed the World Health Organization QOL Scale-Brief, Smartphone Addiction Index, and Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Smartphone addiction was negatively related to QOL (beta = -1.375, 95% CI [-1.442, -1.306]), whereas physical activity was positively related to QOL (beta = .059, 95% CI [0.047, 0.071]). The presence of both smartphone addiction and insufficient physical activity decreased QOL scores when compared with the group with sufficient physical activity and non-smartphone addiction (beta = -36.505, 95% CI [-39.046, -33.964]). Physical activity and smartphone use are potentially modifiable risk factors for poor QOL in college students. Thus, interventions to decrease smartphone use and promote physical activity could be beneficial for improving QOL in this population.