The increasing global popularity of smartphone usage has increased concerns about the negative effects of smartphone addiction, such as lack of sleep, sedentary life, bad eating habits, anxiety, stress, and depression, especially among the young population. These problems caused by smartphone addiction are also well-known risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, according to our observation, there is no research in the literature that directly shows the relationship between smartphone addiction and subclinical atherosclerosis. In this study, carotid intima-media thickness, an important surrogate marker in demonstrating subclinical atherosclerosis, was used to examine the relationship between smartphone addiction and subclinical atherosclerosis.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 96 high school students aged between 13 and 22 years. A smartphone addiction questionnaire consisting of 33 questions was applied to measure smartphone addiction. Along with the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients, factors such as eating habits, sleep patterns, and activity levels were also questioned. The mean carotid intima-media thickness was measured by an experienced sonographer according to the published and accepted methods.

When we set the threshold for smartphone addiction at over 66 points, we discovered that the group with smartphone addiction had considerably thicker carotid intima-media (0.68 ± 0.2 versus 0.45 ± 0.1; p < 0.001). In addition, logistics regression analysis had shown that smartphone addiction level independently affects the carotid intima-media thickness (odds ratio:1.111; %95 GA:1.057–1.168, p < 0.001).

Smartphone addiction may help prediction of subclinical atherosclerosis via carotid intima-media thickness among teenagers.