Assessing cardiovascular risks in Internet-addicted adults: A case-control analysis

Background

We aimed to evaluate cardiovascular risk factors in adults addicted to the Internet and compare them to controls.

Methods

The present case-control study was conducted on 780 individuals randomly selected from the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorders Study (MASHAD study). Addiction to the Internet was determined by the self-administered Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Participants with IAT scores >30 and lower than 30 were recruited to the Internet-addicted and control group, respectively. Demographic risk factors and laboratory findings were collected.

Results

We evaluated 780 participants, 191 with Internet addiction and 589 in the control group. The median age was 53 (9.0), and 61.2 % of participants were female. The Internet-addicted group was remarkably younger than the control group (P < 0.001). We found remarkable differences in job status (P = 0.002) and history of hypertension (P = 0.029) between the two groups. Furthermore, moderate Internet addiction individuals were younger (P < 0.001) and had significantly higher cholesterol levels than the mild group (P = 0.045). Internet addiction scores correlated remarkably with age (r= -0.025, P < 0.001), history of hypertension (r = 0.086, P = 0.016), history of cardiovascular diseases (r = 0.079, P = 0.026), and job status (r= -0.135, P < 0.001). In addition, linear regression supported that Internet addiction score is markedly associated with age (B= -0.35, 95 % CI: -0.46, -0.24; standard error= 0.055, and P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Internet addiction may be considered a potentially dangerous factor for health, especially in younger adults. Therefore, focusing on educational planning about the negative effects of excessive Internet use, as well as monitoring and controlling its use, seems necessary.