In today's society, electronic devices (EDs) represent an integral part of daily life, constitute the basis and prospects of the development of multiple industry sectors and spheres of activity. EDs having a significant impact on lifestyle not only contribute to rearrangement of social communications, but also create additional health risk. Young adults constitute a specific group of users using EDs both for educational purposes and during leisure time, having limited experience of offline communication, and vigorously drawn into the space of Internet from an early age [1, 2].

The distance learning ensuring varying contributions to the aggregate training program for students studying at the general, professional, and secondary educational institutions represents the most vivid example of the ED introduction into the educational system.

Scientific literature provides data on the impact of distance learning technologies on the health and lifestyle of schoolchildren and students, describes the risk factors of health problems related to noncompliance with the rules for safe use of EDs during training and leisure activities, shows the relationship between health problems and the conditions and mode of using EDs [3–6].

The analysis of findings can provide the scientific basis for the development of preventive measures aimed to reduce health risks in the younger generation; it will make it possible to identify relevant directions for further research. Our aim was to summarize the acquired knowledge about the influence of EDs on the lifestyle and health of young adults.

The review of scientific papers published in the international and Russian databases (E-Library, PubMed, Cyberleninka) in 2019–2023 was conducted.

The majority of papers are focused in assessing the features of lifestyle and health of individuals using EDs. This research area is complex due to multifactorial effects of EDs.

The ED type (stationary, mobile) and model can be considered the risk factors of health problems, along with the duration and frequency of using ED, type of activity (using mobile telephony, social media, visiting websites, watching videos, screen reading, gaming). Working conditions (luminance level, workplace ergonomics, presence of background noise, using headphones, etc.) are additional risk factors that are not directly related to EDs. The user’s personal preferences (place and time of operation, applications and ED settings used, etc.), awareness of the rules for safe use, and the development of useful skills have a significant effect. All the above create a hard-to-predict model for determination of the health risk associated with the use of EDs [7–12].

Numerous studies are focused on assessing the impact of using EDs on the emergence of eye disorders and their prevalence among young adults. Deterioration of vision in students attending educational institutions throughout 20 years is observed. A significant decrease in visual acuity (р ≤ 0.05) is observed in today’s schoolchildren during their middle grades; the decrease in the reserve of relative accommodation is observed in the first-years just starting their systematic school training. This suggests depletion of adaptation. The structure of myopia and its prevalence among students have been studied [13–16].

The ED technical characteristics, specifically the features of use affecting visual perception of information from the screen, that result in eye fatigue, development of functional impairment and eye disorders, have been identified [17–18].

Information has been obtained about the significant effect (р ≤ 0.05) of the conditions and mode of using mobile EDs (MEDs) on the development of computer vision syndrome (CVS): use at night, less than 40 min before sleep, with local lighting, at a distance less than 30 cm from the eye. It has been shown that the time on ED, insufficient illuminance level, simultaneous use of EDs (two or more), use of ED in an inappropriate location (in transport), as well as noncompliance with the principles of eye care, specifically working without interruptions for rest and eye exercise, inadequate working posture (sitting in a chair, lying), lack of the day “free from smartphone” during the week, have a significant effect on the emergence of functional eye disorders (р ≤ 0.05) [19].

The correlation (р ≤ 0.05) between the visual acuity decrease in students and the duration of ED use (total daily and continuous use) has been revealed [20–21].

The duration of continuous MED use significantly increases with the child’s age to reach its maximum in his/her student days and exceeds the hygienic standard set for the use of tablet [22] 2-fold in primary school students, 3-fold in high school students, almost 5-fold in senior school students, and 7-fold in university students. The duration of ED use causes untimely organization of breaks for rest and eye exercises, impaired food intake regime, determines the level of physical activity, contributes to the later bedtime, reduced sleep duration, etc. [23].

The online engagement of the youth is a serious problem. Students spend more than 4 h per day on social media, and every second student uses three social media or more. The frequency of browsing social media exceeds 20 times per day in every third student. The lack of access to social media causes stress in every seventh student. Spending large amounts of time on social media and the prolonged lack of access to social media result in the development of psycho-emotional disorders that can be manifested by sleep disorders, increased irritability, and the development of addiction. The relationship between the development of internet addiction and the time on social media exceeding 2 h per day has been demonstrated from the perspective of evidence-based medicine [24–26].

The problem of safe ED use is related to low population awareness of the health risks emerging when using EDs. Only 70% of senior school students, 75% of university students, 80% of parents and teachers adequately estimate or overestimate the risk associated with the ED use. Furthermore, not all of them are aware of the rules for safe use of ED and put these rules into practice [27–31].

The wrong skills of using EDs pose potential health risks.

For example, musculoskeletal dysfunction is associated with the prolonged static posture maintained when using smartphones and tablets. The data has been acquired that suggest the relationship between using the ED for two or more hours per day and obesity [32].

Spectral composition of the light emitted by smartphones is recognized as disturbing the process of melatonin secretion, which results in difficulty falling asleep, decreases sleep duration, causes nocturnal awakenings, worsens the overall quality of sleep [33].

Moreover, the light emitted by the ED screens alters accommodation, affects pupil diameter and cognitive functions, changes the sleep-wake pattern, and has a potential toxic effect caused by lipofuscin accumulation on the retina [34].

Multiple reports contain the results of studying the effects of electromagnetic waves on the users’ health. However, the emergence of new MED models and data transmission technologies (wired, wireless), improvement of the mobile network generations (3G, 4G, 5G), increase in the number of transmitter units, placement of these units in the zone that is most close to users (in educational institutions, residential areas) determine the need for further research focused on the effects of electromagnetic waves emitted by the new-generation EDs on health. Thus, there is currently no consensus on the health effects of 5G mobile network [1, 34].

Assessment of the effects of non-ionizing, non-thermal electromagnetic waves on the body allowed the researchers to draw a conclusion about their effects on the homeostasis, endocrine and reproductive functions, fetal development and embryo survival, sperm quality [1, 35].

The researchers face the challenge of differentiation between the degree of the health effects of electromagnetic fields created by MEDs on the one hand and the nature of the browsed content, conditions and mode of using MED on the other hand [35–36].

The analysis of the characteristics of user’s communication with MED (screen time, call duration, evening use) is conducted [37].

The researchers suggest the need for multifactorial analysis of the effects of using MEDs on cognitive performance and the ability to navigate in space as performance indicators of different brain hemispheres [38].

The regulatory and methodological documents that are in force in Russia (p. 3.5.3 of SanPiN 2.4.3648-20) prohibit the use of MEDs for educational purposes [39]. In November 2023, the State Duma accepted amendments to the Federal Law dated 29 December 2012 № 273-FZ “On Education in the Russian Federation” prohibiting the use of mobile phones at school, including during breaks [40]. A similar initiative is being implemented by the Government of Sweden through preparation of the bill on the prohibition of using MEDs by students at school during both lessons and breaks [41].

According to the methodological guidelines on ensuring sanitary and epidemiological requirements in the implementation of educational programs involving the use of e-learning and distance learning technologies approved by the Chief State Sanitary Physician of the Russian Federation on 29 August 2023 (MR 2.4.0330-23), it is recommended to use wired data transmission systems for connection of peripheral devices. It is not recommended to use a wireless data transmission system [42].

CONCLUSION

Thus, the acquired knowledge about the negative effects of electronic devices (EDs) on lifestyle, daily routine, sleep quality, and health of the younger generation makes it possible to use the data obtained to search for effective preventive measures. These should be considered when developing the individual, group and population prevention programs. A special place in prevention programs should be given to hygienic training of the youth aimed at developing the beliefs and skills of safe ED use that are so in demand in the leisure and professional activities of modern humans.