Quotes a study reporting associations between adolescent smartphone ownership, depression, obesity and in…

HHS public comment #5069 · HHS-OASH-2026-0397 · 2026-10-26

#1Quotes a study reporting associations between adolescent smartphone ownership, depression, obesity and in…by Alex Andreasen » 2026-10-26
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Quotes a study reporting associations between adolescent smartphone ownership, depression, obesity and insufficient sleep, with implications for caregivers and policy.

  • Research & federal duties: olling for baseline mental health and sleep. Results were consistent across several sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS Smartphone own
  • Children & vulnerable groups: pression, obesity, and insufficient sleep in early adolescence. Findings provide critical and timely insights that should infor
  • Neurological symptoms & sleep: ), obesity (OR 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20–1.63), and insufficient sleep (OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.46–1.79). Younger age of smartphone acquisit

AI-reviewed source analysis of the original text, not verified medical findings. Attachments are not reviewed.

Original comment · unedited text

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/157/1/e2025072941/205716/Smartphone-Ownership-Age-of-Smartphone-Acquisition?autologincheck=redirected

"Smartphone Ownership, Age of Smartphone Acquisition, and Health Outcomes in Early Adolescence Available to Purchase"

"RESULTS

At age 12 years, compared with not owning a smartphone (n = 3849), smartphone ownership (n = 6739) was associated with higher risk for depression (odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05–1.63), obesity (OR 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20–1.63), and insufficient sleep (OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.46–1.79). Younger age of smartphone acquisition was associated with obesity and insufficient sleep (for each earlier year of acquisition, OR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02–1.16, and OR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.12, respectively). At age 13 years, among 3486 youth who did not own a smartphone at age 12 years, those who had acquired a smartphone in the past year (n = 1546) had greater odds of reporting clinical-level psychopathology (OR 1.57, 95% CI: 1.12–2.20) and insufficient sleep (OR 1.50, 95% CI: 1.26–1.77) compared with those who had not (n = 1940) after controlling for baseline mental health and sleep. Results were consistent across several sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Smartphone ownership was associated with depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep in early adolescence. Findings provide critical and timely insights that should inform caregivers regarding adolescent smartphone use and, ideally, the development of public policy that protects youth."

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