Phone-Obsessed Kids are More Obese, Depressed and Sleepless

Preteens are increasingly glued to their phones—and new research suggests the health fallout is hitting early. A University of Pennsylvania-led study finds that kids who own smartphones are markedly more likely to struggle with depression, obesity, and poor sleep. The analysis, drawn from more than 10,000 participants in the National Institutes of Health’s Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, tracked youth assessments from 2016 to 2022. Researchers found that owning a smartphone at age 12 was linked to 31 percent higher odds of depression, 40 percent higher odds of obesity, and 62 percent higher odds of insufficient sleep compared to peers without one. The differences persisted even after accounting for other devices, such as tablets and smartwatches. Roughly half of American kids