Minireviews
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World J Clin Cases. Jun 16, 2025; 13(17): 99924
Published online Jun 16, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i17.99924
Exploring the impact of mobile device use on mealtime distractions and its consequences for metabolic health: A narrative minireview
Muhammad Shahzad Aslam
Muhammad Shahzad Aslam, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia
Author contributions: Aslam MS was responsible for conceptualizing and designing the review, conducting the literature search, synthesizing and analyzing the findings, and drafting and revising the manuscript. The author approved the final version of the manuscript and takes full responsibility for its content.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Muhammad Shahzad Aslam, MPhil, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia. aslam.shahzad@xmu.edu.my
Received: August 3, 2024
Revised: December 22, 2024
Accepted: January 14, 2025
Published online: June 16, 2025
Processing time: 199 Days and 5.2 Hours
Abstract

The habitual use of smartphones during meals has become a common behavior, raising concerns about its potential impact on eating habits and metabolic health. The present narrative review investigates how using a smartphone or tablet during meals can cause distractions and negatively affect metabolic health. A comprehensive narrative review was conducted by synthesizing peer-reviewed studies on the interplay between smartphone use during meals, eating behaviors, and metabolic health. Relevant literature was identified through searches in electronic databases and organized thematically to highlight trends and research gaps. By synthesizing evidence from existing literature, this review highlights that smartphone use during meals is associated with increased caloric intake, altered food composition, and disruptions in postprandial metabolic responses. These effects are mediated by reduced meal awareness and psychological distractions, including multitasking. Variability in findings arises from differences in study designs and populations. This review identifies critical research gaps, including the lack of longitudinal studies and the need to explore mechanisms underlying these relationships. By summarizing trends and patterns, this narrative review offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between digital device use, eating habits, and metabolic health, providing a foundation for future research and interventions.

Keywords: Digital devices; Smartphone usage; Mealtime behavior; Eating habits; Postprandial glucose; Screen time; Dietary patterns; Metabolic responses; Technological distractions; Mobile health

Core Tip: This minireview explores the impact of using smartphones and tablets during meals on metabolic health. By analyzing various studies, it identifies key factors such as postprandial metabolic responses, food composition, and calorie consumption. Findings reveal a complex relationship between mealtime technology use and metabolic health, underscoring the need for further research. This review offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners into the interactions between technology, eating habits, and metabolic health.