Healthy Lifestyle in Adolescents With Digital Addictions: A Comparative Study of Gaming and Social Media Addiction

The increasing prevalence of digital addiction among adolescents is linked to growing dependence on gaming and social media. This study explored the relationship between these addiction types and healthy lifestyle behaviors in adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted online with 719 high school students aged 14 to 18 using the Digital Game Addiction Scale (DGAS), Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS), and Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (AHPS). Men scored significantly higher on gaming addiction, while women scored higher on social media addiction. Gaming addiction was negatively associated with health-promoting behaviors. Although total SMAS was not significantly related to health outcomes, the virtual pleasure subscale, based on liking displayed photos, was positively linked to AHPS subscales for life appreciation, health responsibility, and nutrition. Men also reported higher scores in the AHPS subscales for nutrition and exercise domains. These findings suggest that prevention strategies should be tailored to addiction subtype behaviors and sex differences.