Why College Students Should Hang Up Their Cell Phones

Hi, I'm Dr. Altman. If your college student wants to avoid the dreaded freshmen 15, here's a surprising tip. Tell her to turn off her cell phone. Up to 96% of undergrads have cell phones. And a recent study looked at whether cell phone use has an impact on students level of physical activity.

On average students spend five hours a day on their cell phones, chatting, texting, posting on social media, playing video games and of course surfing the web. The studies found out that the more time college students spend on their cellphone, the more sedentary they were likely to be.

Not surprised they had lower levels of fitness as well. So even though students take their phones on the go, they still engage in the same kind of sedentary activities as watching T. V. Or using the computer. Here's the takeaway. If your college student complains of putting on the pounds, tell her to put down the phone and get moving.

Oh yeah, and the same goes for you mom and dad. I'm Dr. Altman. For more ways to keep your whole family healthy, check out all our smart tips.