Smartphone Addiction and Physical Activity: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

Bai Kuotian; Syed Kamaruzaman Syed Ali

doi:10.56868/jadhur.v5i2.348

Authors

Bai Kuotian Department of Educational Foundation, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7494-3258
Syed Kamaruzaman Syed Ali Department of Educational Foundation and Humanities, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4804-1237

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56868/jadhur.v5i2.348

Keywords:

Smartphone Addiction, Digital Addiction, Physical Activity, Gaming Disorder, Social Media Addiction, Bibliometric Analysis, Systematic Review

Abstract

This study examines the global research landscape of smartphone-related digital addiction and its relationship with physical activity and sedentary behavior. We used a two-stage methodology, analyzing 721 English-language, peer-reviewed articles from Scopus published between 2016 and 2026. In Stage 1, we conducted bibliometric science mapping with the bibliometrix package in R to assess publication trends, collaboration patterns, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic structures. Stage 2 followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines to systematically review a prioritized set of 213 studies. The results show rapid growth in the literature, with an annual increase of 30.51% and peak publication output in 2025 (n = 173). Most research appeared in public health and psychology journals, with China and Turkey leading in publication volume. Adolescents and university students constitute the primary study populations in the current literature. Research on smartphone addiction is prevalent, while studies addressing short-video addiction are notably scarce (n = 17), indicating a significant emerging research gap. Despite considerable expansion of the field, the evidence base is largely composed of cross-sectional, self-report studies, which limits causal inference. This review reconceptualizes physical activity as a health outcome, a protective factor, a self-regulatory resource, and an intervention target. This approach offers a more comprehensive framework for understanding the relationship between digital addiction and movement behaviors.

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