Exploring the impact of mobile device use on mealtime distractions and its consequences for metabolic health: A narrative minireview.

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.