Completed RCT Shows Exercise 'Snacks' May Combat Smartphone Addiction in Adolescents — Implications for School Health Programs
247 Health News Editorial
·11 Apr 2026
·4 min read
·clinical-trialsA completed RCT of 386 Hong Kong adolescents demonstrates that brief 'exercise snacks' — 1-2 minute high-intensity activities performed throughout the school day — may effectively reduce smartphone addiction severity. This innovative school-based intervention offers clinicians a practical, evidence-based approach to addressing the growing epidemic of problematic technology use among young people.
Originally reported by ClinicalTrials.gov
References
- 1.Elhai, J. D., Dvorak, R. D., Levine, J. C., & Hall, B. J. (2017). Problematic smartphone use: A conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology. Journal of Affective Disorders, 207, 251-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.030
- 2.Franceschini, C., Musetti, A., Zenesini, C., Palagini, L., Scarpelli, S., Quattropani, M. C., ... & Castelnuovo, G. (2020). Poor sleep quality and its consequences on mental health during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 574475. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.574475
- 3.Jinan University Guangzhou. (2024). Effect of fragmented exercise snacks on mobile phone addiction and psychophysical health in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT07338058. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07338058
- 4.Kandola, A., Ashdown-Franks, G., Hendrikse, J., Sabiston, C. M., & Stubbs, B. (2019). Physical activity and depression: Towards understanding the antidepressant mechanisms. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 107, 525-539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.040
- 5.Kwon, M., Kim, D. J., Cho, H., & Yang, S. (2013). The smartphone addiction scale: development and validation of a short version for adolescents. PLoS One, 8(12), e83558. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558
- 6.Panova, T., & Carbonell, X. (2018). Is smartphone addiction really an addiction? Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(2), 252-259. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.49
- 7.Throuvala, M. A., Griffiths, M. D., Romo, L., & Pontes, H. M. (2019). Problematic internet use and problematic social media use: A comparative analysis. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 22(12), 738-756. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0146
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247 Health News Editorial
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