Influence of Screen-Based Distractions During Meals on Healthy Eating Habits Among Young Adults in Pakistan

Background: The increased use of digital devices has led to the rise in the rate of screen-based distractions when eating that can adversely affect diet-related behaviors. The main aim of the study is to analyze the effect of screen-based distractions on healthy eating behavior in the context of young adults in Pakistan. Methods: A structured questionnaire was developed in order to conduct a quantitative cross-sectional study involving 100 young adults between 18 and 30 years of age. A 5-point Likert scale was used to gather data on screen usage during meals and eating habits. SPSS was used to conduct descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Screen engagement while eating was found to be moderately high, especially when using mobile phones (M = 2.75 ± 1.10) and watching videos (M = 2.55 ± 1.22). Healthy eating practices were observed to be moderately positive, except that water consumption (M = 3.27 ± 1.19) and hunger recognition (M = 3.32 ± 1.19) received higher scores than portion control and junk food avoidance. A significant negative correlation (r = −0.345, p < 0.01) was found between screen distractions and healthy eating practices, suggesting that more screen usage correlates with poor eating practices. Conclusion: Meal-time use of screens is moderately linked to poor eating behaviors in young adults. Fostering mindfulness and cutting down on meal-time screen usage could help promote better eating habits.