INFLUENCE OF SMARTPHONE USE ON HYGIENE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

AMONG YOUNG DINERS

INFLUENCIA DEL USO DE TELÉFONOS INTELIGENTES EN LA HIGIENE Y LA

INTERACCIÓN SOCIAL ENTRE JÓVENES COMENSALES

García Becerra Alejandra¹, Aguilar Hernández Nancy María², Barajas Cortés Julio Cesar³,

Guerrero Pérez Ángel Cuitlahuac⁴, Chocoteco Campos José Abel⁵*

https://doi.org/10.61117/ipsumtec.v9i1.455

¹Tecnológico Nacional de México / I.T. de Ciudad Guzmán, alejandra.gb@cdguzman.tecnm.mx, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1681-

6509

²Tecnológico Nacional de México / I.T. de Ciudad Guzmán, nancy.ah@cdguzman.tecnm.mx, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4572-2037

³Tecnológico Nacional de México / I.T. de Ciudad Guzmán, barajascortesjuliocesar@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4476-

5080

⁴Tecnológico Nacional de México / I.T. de Ciudad Guzmán, acuitlahuacg002@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6590-7312

⁵Tecnológico Nacional de México / I.T. de Ciudad Guzmán, jose.cc1@cdguzman.tecnm.mx, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5925-9688

Abstract - Smartphone use during meals continues to

raise concerns regarding hygiene practices and social

interaction among diners. This study examined the

behavior of 104 young diners in a fast-food restaurant

using unobtrusive observation based on security camera

recordings. Smartphone use was highly prevalent,

accounting for 42.68% of the total time spent in the

restaurant. During the meal, 93% of diners used their

phones, and 71% did not clean their hands or fingers after

handling the device and before eating. Inferential

analyses revealed statistically significant positive

associations between smartphone handling frequency

during meals and hygiene lapses, whereas total

smartphone use time was not significantly associated

with level of social interaction. Although 16% of diners

showed minimal or no interaction with their companions,

84% maintained moderate or active face-to-face

communication. These findings suggest that hygiene

risks during meals are more closely related to the

frequency of phone handling than to overall use duration.

They also indicate that, despite frequent smartphone use,

direct social interaction remains present in most young

diners. The results highlight the importance of promoting

responsible smartphone use during meals, particularly in

relation to hygiene practices.

Durante la comida, el 93% de los comensales utilizó su

teléfono, y el 71% no limpió sus manos o dedos después

de manipular el dispositivo y antes de comer. Los análisis

inferenciales

revelaron

asociaciones

positivas

estadísticamente significativas entre la frecuencia de

manipulación del teléfono durante las comidas y las fallas

de higiene, mientras que el tiempo total de uso del

teléfono no se asoció de manera significativa con el nivel

de interacción social. Aunque el 16% de los comensales

mostró una interacción mínima

nula con sus

acompañantes, el 84% mantuvo una comunicación cara a

cara moderada o activa. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los

riesgos de higiene durante las comidas están más

estrechamente relacionados con la frecuencia de

manipulación del teléfono que con la duración total de

uso. Asimismo, indican que, a pesar del uso frecuente del

teléfono inteligente, la interacción social directa sigue

estando presente en la mayoría de los jóvenes

comensales. Los resultados destacan la importancia de

promover un uso responsable del teléfono inteligente

durante las comidas, particularmente en lo relativo a las

prácticas de higiene.

Palabras Clave: Adicción, Higiene, Interacción social,

Joven, Teléfono móvil.

Key words – Addiction, Hygiene, Social interaction,

INTRODUCTION

Yough, Mobile phones.

Smartphones have evolved from simple communication

tools to multifunctional hubs for entertainment, work, and

daily life management. This transformation has led to a

profound influence on various aspects of human

behavior, including communication, learning, and

relaxation. Consequently, the widespread use of

smartphones has not only generated scientific interest but

also raised concerns regarding their potential adverse

effects, despite their recognized benefits. This duality has

driven extensive research into the diverse impacts of

problematic or excessive smartphone use across various

Resumen -- El uso de teléfonos inteligentes durante las

comidas sigue generando preocupación en relación con

las prácticas de higiene y la interacción social entre los

comensales. Este estudio examinó el comportamiento de

104 jóvenes comensales en un restaurante de comida

rápida mediante observación no intrusiva basada en

grabaciones de cámaras de seguridad. El uso del teléfono

inteligente fue altamente prevalente, representando el

42.68% del tiempo total de permanencia en el restaurante.

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 78

health

domains[1-3].

Such

investigations

have

quality of interpersonal relationships [24-26]. Such

behavior not only hinders effective communication but

also reduces empathy and mutual understanding, as

several studies have demonstrated [7, 24-28]. Given that

fast-food restaurants often serve as social settings for

young diners, understanding how smartphone use affects

both hygiene practices and social dynamics within these

contexts becomes essential. Thus, this study seeks to

assess the prevalence of smartphone use during meals in

contemporary dining environments, particularly in fast-

food restaurants. By examining these behaviors, the

research aims to determine the extent to which

smartphone use persists in these contexts and its potential

consequences for both social interaction and hygiene

practices among adolescents and young diners.

Several studies have documented the presence of

microorganisms on smartphones in food-related settings,

particularly among kitchen staff [13-14, 29]. However,

limited attention has been given to the presence of such

contaminants among diners [18, 20, 30-32]. This

oversight is particularly concerning given the increasing

prevalence of smartphone use among young diners [33]

and the potential health implications associated with

bacterial transmission in dining contexts. Despite

extensive research on smartphone use, the intersection

between hygiene practices and social interaction during

meals remains underexplored, particularly in fast-food

settings where hand-to-food contact and socialization are

common. Given that mobile devices frequently handled

during meals may facilitate bacterial transmission, this

study examines these interrelated behaviors to provide

empirical insights into their public health implications in

dining contexts.

predominantly focused on physical and mental health

consequences, as evidenced in studies by Cheung [1],

Ratan [2], and Wacks and Weinstein [4].

Building upon this body of research, recent studies have

also examined the influence of smartphone use on eating

behaviors, including increased food intake and mindless

eating [5-6] as well as its impact on social interaction [7-

8]. However, the intersection of these two aspects—

eating behaviors and social interaction—remains

underexplored in fast-food restaurant settings, where

food is often consumed by hand and social interaction is

expected to be a central component of the dining

experience. Considering the increasing prevalence of

smartphone use among young diners during meals, it

becomes crucial to understand how these practices might

simultaneously affect hygiene and social interaction [9-

10]. Therefore, the present study seeks to address the

following research question: How does habitual

smartphone use during meals influence both hygiene

practices and social interaction among young diners in

fast-food restaurants? Identifying such patterns can

provide valuable insights into the potential public health

implications associated with mobile device use in

everyday dining contexts.

Furthermore, concerns regarding hygiene practices

associated with frequent smartphone use have garnered

growing attention in literature. These ubiquitous devices,

often exposed to warmth, dust, and perspiration, can serve

as reservoirs for various bacteria and other pathogenic

microorganisms [9-11]. Research has demonstrated that

these microorganisms can transfer from smartphones to

users’ hands and faces, thereby increasing the risk of

infectious disease transmission. Notably, studies have

identified the presence of bacteria such as Escherichia

Smartphone use was categorized into three phases —

before eating, during the meal, and after eating —

allowing for a comparative analysis of usage duration

across dining stages. Hygiene practices were assessed

through indicators such as hand cleaning, napkin use, and

direct hand-to-food contact after handling the phone.

Social interaction was classified as minimal, moderate, or

active, based on the frequency and duration of exchanges

with companions. This framework provides a structured

approach to examining how smartphone use in fast-food

settings relates to both hygiene lapses and social

interaction levels.

coli,

Salmonella,

Staphylococcus

aureus,

and

Clostridium perfringens on smartphones [10, 12-15].

This concern is particularly relevant in dining settings,

where the simultaneous handling of food and

smartphones may facilitate bacterial transmission.

The potential health risks associated with smartphone use

during meals are further exacerbated when individuals

engage with their devices while eating [16-19]. This

behavior often involves an unconscious alternation

between handling the phone and consuming food,

frequently without adequate hand hygiene. Such practices

establish a direct pathway for the transfer of contaminants

from hands to food, increasing the likelihood of bacterial

transmission [13, 20-21]. This concern is particularly

relevant in a country like Mexico, where a wide variety

of traditional dishes and snacks are typically consumed

METHOD

This study employed a cross-sectional, observational

design using a structured and unobtrusive approach to

collect data on smartphone use, hygiene practices, and

social interaction in fast-food restaurant settings. Data

collection took place at a fast-food establishment located

in downtown Zapotiltic, Jalisco, Mexico, a city with

approximately 30,000 inhabitants. The restaurant was

selected because its menu consists mainly of foods

typically consumed by hand, such as burgers, chicken

wings, and french fries, which facilitated the observation

of hygiene behaviors during eating. In addition, its

popularity among adolescents and young adults, along

hand,

thus

intensifying

the

potential

for

contamination.

In addition to hygiene concerns, frequent smartphone use

has been identified as a disruptive factor in social

interactions [7, 22-23]. The phenomenon commonly

referred to as “phubbing” —the act of ignoring

individuals present in favor of interacting with one's

smartphone— has been shown to negatively impact the

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 79

with the availability of complimentary Wi-Fi, made it a

suitable setting to observe frequent smartphone use.

Participants were selected through visual estimation,

focusing on diners aged approximately 12 to 30 years, a

group identified as having high smartphone use during

meals [33]. Both male and female participants were

included. The sample was limited to groups of two or

more to allow the observation of both hygiene practices

and social interaction. Individuals who did not use a

smartphone during the observation period and those who

were alone were excluded, as the study focused on the

relationship between device use, hygiene, and interaction.

This age group selection is consistent with previous

research on smartphone use in social dining contexts [3].

To facilitate participant selection, a non-probabilistic

calculated, consistency was reinforced through repeated

cross-review sessions.

Recordings were obtained using HIKVISION DS-

2CD1143G0-I(C) cameras equipped with 2.8 mm lenses

and 4-megapixel resolution, which provided high-

definition video for detailed observation. The recorded

data were securely stored on memory devices and later

reviewed manually. Each recording was carefully

examined to ensure accuracy in coding. The study was

conducted over a five-month period (August–December

2025), while the data collection phase took place

specifically during September and October, during the

selected peak hours. A total of 38 video recordings were

analyzed, comprising 104 adolescents and young adults.

Gender and approximate age were estimated through

visual observation. No personal data were collected, and

all information was stored securely. Reliability was

further strengthened through cross-review of the

recordings by different observers.

Data collection focused on two main aspects: the total

time spent in the restaurant and the duration and

frequency of smartphone use. Smartphone use was

categorized into three phases: before eating (from seating

to food arrival), during the meal (while food was being

consumed), and after eating (from the end of the meal

until leaving the table). For each phase, both duration (in

minutes) and frequency (number of interactions) were

recorded.

convenience

sampling

method

was

employed.

Participants were selected based on their presence in the

dining establishment during the peak hours of 18:00 to

22:00, a timeframe chosen to maximize the likelihood of

observing smartphone use during meals. This timeframe

was deliberately chosen to align with periods of

heightened smartphone use, as documented in prior

studies that highlight increased device interaction during

social dining hours [3].

To examine diners’ behavior, permission was obtained

from the restaurant owner to use security camera

recordings. In order to preserve natural behavior and

avoid the Hawthorne effect, participants were not

informed of the observation. The study followed ethical

guidelines, ensuring anonymity and privacy at all times

[34].

To systematically record observed behaviors, a structured

observation guide was developed. The guide included

predefined categories for smartphone use, hygiene

practices, and social interaction. Smartphone-related

variables included frequency and duration of use across

different phases of the meal. Hygiene-related variables

included hand cleaning, napkin use, hand-to-food contact

after handling the phone, finger wiping between phone

handling and food contact, the use of one or both hands

to manipulate the device, and whether the same fingers

used to touch the phone were subsequently used to handle

food. Social interaction was classified into three levels—

minimal, moderate, and active—based on the frequency

and duration of exchanges with dining companions. This

structure ensured consistent and comparable data

collection across all observations.

Hygiene practices were assessed through the indicators

described above, allowing the identification of potential

hygiene lapses associated with smartphone use during

meals. In addition, social interaction was categorized

according to the frequency and duration of exchanges

with dining companions and classified into three levels:

minimal, moderate, and active interaction. Minimal

interaction was defined as infrequent or brief exchanges,

often disrupted by smartphone use. Moderate interaction

involved

periodic

conversation

with

occasional

smartphone use, whereas active interaction was

characterized by sustained engagement with minimal or

no phone use. These operational categories provided a

structured basis for examining, both descriptively and

inferentially, whether smartphone use was associated

with hygiene lapses and observed levels of social

interaction in the fast-food dining setting.

The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and

inferential tests. Descriptive analyses were used to

characterize smartphone use across the three meal phases,

as well as the observed hygiene practices and levels of

social interaction. Spearman correlation analyses were

conducted to examine the association between

smartphone use variables and both no-cleaning behavior

and level of social interaction. In addition, a Kruskal–

Wallis test was used to assess differences in total

Prior to data collection, the observation guide was

reviewed by researchers with experience in behavioral

observation and public health to support content validity.

A pilot test was conducted using a subset of recordings in

order to refine the coding categories and improve clarity.

Inter-observer

agreement

was

assessed

through

independent coding by multiple researchers, and

discrepancies were resolved through discussion.

Although a formal reliability coefficient was not

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 80

smartphone use time across the three levels of social

interaction.

remained prevalent, accounting for 34% of the observed

time (3.91 minutes). Similarly, phones were put away for

34% of the time (4.1 minutes) and left on the table

without interaction for 32% of the time (3.8 minutes),

suggesting continued awareness of the device even after

meal consumption.

Overall smartphone engagement among youths in the

restaurant setting was substantial. On average, young

diners used their phones for 42.68% of their total time in

the restaurant, corresponding to 21.74 minutes. By

contrast, phones were kept put away for 28.46% of the

observation period, equivalent to approximately 14.5

minutes, and were left on the table without active use for

28.85% of the time, representing an average of 14.7

minutes.

RESULTS

The demographic profile of the study participants

indicated a higher representation of male individuals

(56.7%) compared to female individuals (43.3%). The

estimated age range of the participants was between 12

and 30 years.

Phone usage

The mean duration of stay for diners at the restaurant was

51 minutes. This period comprised three distinct phases:

an average of 20 minutes spent waiting for food, 19

minutes devoted to eating, and 12 minutes spent resting

after the meal. Smartphone use was pervasive throughout

the restaurant visit. Specifically, 100% of the observed

young diners (n = 104) used their phones while waiting

for food, indicating a high prevalence of technology use

during waiting times. During the meal, 98% (n = 102)

used their smartphones, highlighting the integration of

technology into the act of eating itself. Furthermore, 97%

(n = 101) alternated between eating and phone use,

suggesting a pattern of divided attention during the meal.

Finally, 93% (n = 97) continued using their phones after

finishing their meal, indicating that device engagement

persisted beyond food consumption.

Figure 1 shows the percentages of time participants kept

their phones put away, left them on the table, and actively

used them during the pre-eating, eating, and post-eating

periods. Before eating (Figure 1a), active smartphone use

accounted for an average of 40% of the time, equivalent

to 8.03 minutes. During this phase, devices were also

frequently left on the table without active engagement

(30% of the time, or 6.1 minutes), while being put away

occurred for 29% of the time (5.9 minutes).

Hygiene

Regarding the number of diners who interacted with their

smartphones, it was found that 93% used them while

eating (Figure 2a). Of these, 71% (69 youths) did not

clean their fingers between handling their phones and

eating food (Figure 2b). This means that approximately 7

out of 10 diners who used their phones during the meal

did not practice basic hygiene measures, raising

significant concerns about the potential transmission of

contaminants and bacteria during meals.

Spearman correlation analyses revealed statistically

significant positive associations between smartphone

manipulation during meals and the frequency of not

cleaning hands or fingers afterward. The number of

occasions in which diners manipulated the smartphone

with one hand was positively associated with no-cleaning

behavior (ρ = 0.461, p < 0.001), and this association was

even stronger for manipulation with both hands (ρ =

0.600, p < 0.001).

Figure 1. Percentages of time diners used, left on the table, and

put away their phones at during the three moments: (a) before

eating, (b) during eating, and (c) after eating.

Figure 2. (a) Proportion of diners observed interacting and not

interacting with their smartphones during their meal; (b)

Distribution of hygiene practices among the subset of diners

who interacted with both their smartphones and their food

during the meal.

During the meal itself (Figure 1b), diners exhibited

intermittent engagement with their mobile phones. Active

phone use while eating was observed for approximately

22% of the meal duration (4.11 minutes), and a further

29% of the time (5.5 minutes) involved alternation

between eating and phone use, reflecting divided

attention. In this phase, mobile phones remained on the

table without active use for 25% of the time (4.8 minutes)

and were put away for 24% of the time (4.5 minutes). In

the post-eating phase (Figure 1c), mobile phone use

When both forms of manipulation were combined into a

total smartphone-handling variable, a strong positive

association was observed with no-cleaning behavior (ρ =

0.769, p < 0.001). By contrast, the association between

total smartphone use time and no-cleaning behavior was

weaker and did not reach statistical significance (ρ =

0.187, p = 0.058). These findings suggest that hygiene

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 81

lapses were more closely related to the frequency of

phone handling during meals than to the total amount of

time spent using the device (see Table 1).

Wallis test found no significant differences in total

smartphone use time across the three levels of social

interaction (H = 0.246, p = 0.884). These findings suggest

that, in this sample, the amount of time spent using the

smartphone was not significantly associated with the

observed level of social interaction (see Table 1).

Social interaction

The results regarding social interaction among diners, as

depicted in Figure 3, illustrate varying levels of

engagement. The study revealed that 3% of participants

exhibited minimal to almost nonexistent conversational

interaction. Sporadic conversations, often interrupted by

smartphone use, were observed in 13% of the

participants. However, a substantial majority of youths,

specifically 84%, actively engaged in face-to-face

interaction with their dining companions.

Ways of holding the phone

Regarding the way diners interacted with their phones,

Figure 4 shows that 48% placed the device on the table to

touch the screen, while 40% held it with one hand and

manipulated it with the other. Only 7% of diners used

both hands to operate the device, and 4% alternated

between holding and manipulating the smartphone with

one hand. A small percentage, equivalent to 1%, used

other handling patterns. These handling practices were

further examined in the inferential analyses presented in

Table 1, which showed that more frequent phone

handling during meals was significantly associated with

hygiene lapses.

Figure 3. Distribution of different levels of engagement during

the time they remained at the table.

To explore the relationship between total smartphone use

time and level of social interaction, a Spearman

correlation analysis was conducted. The results showed

no statistically significant association between the two

variables (ρ = -0.046, p = 0.641). Likewise, a Kruskal–

Figure 4. Predominant smartphone handling practices

observed in the study.

Table 1. Inferential tests examining the association of smartphone use with hygiene lapses and social interaction.

Coefficient

/ Statistic

Analysis

Variables compared

Statistical test

p-value

Interpretation

Total smartphone use time vs.

level of social interaction

Total smartphone use time across the

three levels of social interaction

One-hand smartphone manipulation

vs. no-cleaning behavior

Two-hand smartphone manipulation

vs. no-cleaning behavior

Total smartphone handling

No statistically significant

association

No statistically significant

differences

Statistically significant

positive association

Statistically significant

positive association

Strong statistically significant

positive association

Weak, non-significant

association

Spearman correlation ρ = -0.046

0.641

Kruskal–Wallis test

H = 0.246

0.884

Spearman correlation ρ = 0.461

Spearman correlation ρ = 0.600

Spearman correlation ρ = 0.769

Spearman correlation ρ = 0.187

< 0.001

0.058

frequency vs. no-cleaning behavior

Total smartphone use time vs. no-

cleaning behavior

Note. Social interaction was classified into three levels: 1 = minimal or no interaction, 2 = moderate interaction, and 3 = active interaction. No-cleaning behavior refers to

the frequency with which diners handled the smartphone and subsequently failed to clean their hands or fingers before eating.

DISCUSSION

used their mobile device at least once while seated at the

table, a proportion that clearly exceeds what has been

reported in similar studies conducted in other

geographical contexts, as summarized in Table 2.

This study provides empirical evidence of the widespread

integration of smartphone use during meals in fast-food

restaurants among young people. All observed diners

Table 2. Observed smartphone use among diners: international studies by population and usage rate.

Adolescents People who

People

observed

Study

Country

or Youths

observed?

used the

phone

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 82

Radesky et al. (2014) [18]

Deloitte (2016) in [37]

USA

40 (73%)

309 (81%)

70 (72%)

89 (47%)

77 (48%)

270 (54%)

26 (37%)

51 (88%)

454 (28%)

USA

381

Yes

Kellershohn et al. (2018) [32]

Canada

Jayawickrama et al. (2020) [31] Sri Lanka 189

Kiefner et al. (2020) [20]

Weber et al. (2020) [19]

Elias et al. (2021) [22]

Gale et al. (2023) [27]

de Paz et al. (2024) [30]

Italy

159

Germany 503

Israel

USA

Spain

58 families Yes

1616 Yes

Compared to previous research, our findings reveal a

markedly higher rate of smartphone use. For instance,

Kellershohn et al. [32] reported a 72% usage rate among

young diners in Canada, while Weber et al. [19] found a

rate of 54% in Germany. Although both studies also

focused on adolescents and young adults, their reported

rates were considerably lower than those observed here.

Gale et al. [27] documented an 88% usage rate in a study

involving families in the United States, which represents

the closest figure to our findings. However, in that study

the family, rather than the individual diner, was used as

the unit of observation, which may limit direct

comparability.

These differences may be explained by contextual

factors. Unlike other settings described in the literature,

the restaurant selected for this study offered free Wi-Fi

access, a condition previously identified as encouraging

smartphone use in social environments [3, 19]. In

addition, our sample consisted exclusively of individuals

aged 12 to 30 years, a demographic widely recognized for

its high technological dependence and its tendency to

integrate mobile phone use into everyday routines,

including mealtimes [35]. The convergence of a digitally

connected youth population and the immediate

availability of internet access may jointly explain the

elevated smartphone use observed in this study.

meal, and after eating. This approach made it possible to

observe more precisely how diners interacted with their

devices and how those interactions related to hygiene and

social behavior. Only Weber et al. [19] and de Paz-Cantos

et al. [30] applied a partially comparable framework. In

contrast, other studies, including those by Radesky et al.

[18], Kiefner-Burmeister et al. [20], Jayawickrama et al.

[31], and Gale et al. [27], focused on overall smartphone

use without distinguishing specific phases of the meal. In

this sense, the methodological approach of the present

study advances the analysis of everyday behavior in

dining contexts, especially in fast-food settings.

Regarding hygiene, the study found that 71% of the

young diners did not clean their hands after handling their

phone and before consuming food. This is a relevant

finding, given that smartphones are recognized as

potential vectors of microbial transmission [9, 10, 14].

Our results are consistent with previous warnings about

the risks involved in the hand–phone–food–mouth

sequence [12, 15], and they strengthen the argument that

current hygiene education should take into account the

routine incorporation of mobile devices into eating

practices.

Inferential analysis further reinforced this pattern. More

frequent smartphone manipulation during meals was

significantly associated with hygiene lapses. Specifically,

On the other hand, studies such as those by Jayawickrama

et al. [31] in Sri Lanka and Kiefner-Burmeister et al. [20]

in Italy reported lower levels of smartphone use, ranging

from 47% to 48%. Such variation may reflect cultural

differences, unequal access to technology, or different

parenting strategies regarding smartphone use in family

and social contexts. Likewise, studies focused on

children, such as those by Elias et al. [22] and de Paz-

Cantos et al. [30], documented even lower rates, 37% and

28%, respectively. This reinforces the importance of

considering age as a central factor when analyzing

smartphone-related behavior during meals.

A major contribution of this study lies in the structured

and unobtrusive documentation of three dimensions

simultaneously: smartphone use, hygiene practices, and

social interaction. Unlike previous studies that addressed

only one or two of these dimensions—such as those

summarized in Table 1, none of which considered

hygiene—or studies based on self-reported data [16, 19,

36], our research analyzed smartphone use across three

distinct phases of the meal: before eating, during the

one-handed

phone

manipulation

was

positively

associated with no-cleaning behavior, and this

relationship became even stronger when the device was

manipulated with both hands. When both forms of

manipulation were combined into a single indicator of

smartphone-handling frequency, the association with no-

cleaning behavior was strong and statistically significant.

By contrast, total smartphone use time was only weakly

associated with no-cleaning behavior and did not reach

statistical significance. Taken together, these results

suggest that hygiene risk is linked more closely to

repeated phone handling during meals than to duration of

use alone. This distinction is important, as it indicates that

contamination risk may depend less on how long the

device is used and more on how often it is physically

handled while food is being consumed.

Unlike laboratory-based or experimental studies on

contamination [11, 12, 15], the present research

documents actual behaviors in a natural setting. This

gives the findings particular diagnostic value, as they

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 83

reflect how hygiene lapses occur under ordinary

conditions rather than under controlled observation.

In terms of social interaction, the descriptive results

showed that smartphone use did not entirely eliminate

face-to-face communication among diners. Only 16% of

participants displayed minimal or no interaction, while

most maintained moderate or active communication with

their companions. This suggests that, despite the constant

presence of smartphones, in-person engagement remains

an important part of the shared dining experience among

young people.

However, inferential analysis did not reveal a statistically

significant association between total smartphone use time

and level of social interaction. Neither the Spearman

correlation nor the Kruskal–Wallis test detected

meaningful differences between the amount of time spent

using the smartphone and the observed interaction

categories. This suggests that, in this sample, the total

duration of smartphone use was not significantly

associated with the level of social interaction. Even so,

this finding should be interpreted cautiously because the

distribution of cases across interaction categories was

clearly uneven, particularly the very small number of

diners classified as having minimal or no interaction.

These results nuance conclusions from previous studies

such as Deloitte [37], which reported an 87% reduction in

social interaction attributed to smartphone use. At the

same time, our findings partially align with those of

Allred and Atkin [7], Jayawickrama et al. [31], and Elias

et al. [22], who also reported only marginal effects on

face-to-face communication. This discrepancy across

studies may be explained by differences in observation

context, age of participants, or the type of social bond

among diners. In our study, many interactions appeared

to occur among friends or peers rather than within formal

family settings, which may help explain why social

exchanges persisted despite frequent device use.

By contrast, other studies—such as those by Alwi et al.

[24], de Paz-Cantos et al. [30], and Obrist et al. [17]—

have documented more pronounced negative effects,

particularly among children or in school-related

environments. This suggests that the effects of

smartphone use on interaction are context-sensitive and

may depend heavily on the social setting in which device

use takes place.

Among the main strengths of this study is the use of a

non-invasive observational technique, which allowed the

documentation of natural behavior without altering

participants’ conduct. The clear delimitation of meal

phases, the triangulation of hygiene and interaction

indicators, and the focus on young diners in a realistic

setting all strengthen the analytical contribution of the

study.

are restricted to a specific type of restaurant in which food

is typically eaten by hand rather than with cutlery, a

condition that may have amplified the hygiene-related

results. Finally, the social interaction categories were

unevenly distributed, which may have reduced the ability

of inferential tests to detect significant differences.

Regarding transferability, the findings are particularly

relevant for urban contexts in Latin America where fast-

food dining, free internet access in commercial settings,

and high smartphone penetration among youth are

common. However, caution is needed when extrapolating

these findings to rural areas or to countries with different

technological, cultural, or dining patterns.

In terms of future research, qualitative studies could help

clarify the meanings young people attribute to

smartphone use during meals and the reasons why they

maintain or interrupt face-to-face interaction while using

their devices. It would also be useful to compare these

behaviors across different restaurant types and social

contexts in order to identify situational differences.

Longitudinal approaches could further illuminate how

these habits evolve over time.

From a practical perspective, the findings support the

need for interventions aimed at improving digital hygiene

during meals. Awareness campaigns in restaurants,

educational initiatives targeting young consumers, and

subtle environmental strategies may help promote

healthier practices without relying on restrictive rules. In

particular,

the

inferential

results

suggest

that

interventions should focus not only on reducing total

screen time at the table but also on discouraging repeated

handling of smartphones while eating.

Finally, no major ethical dilemmas were identified during

the implementation of the study. Nevertheless, the ethical

challenge of observing behavior without direct informed

consent from participants must be acknowledged. To

minimize this concern, privacy was protected, no

personal identifiers were collected, and authorization was

obtained from the establishment’s owner in accordance

with ethical guidelines for unobtrusive observational

studies [34].

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the management and

staff of the fast-food restaurant for their kind cooperation

and for providing access to their premises, which

facilitated the data collection process for this research.

References

[1] M. C. Cheung, J. S. K. Lai, and J. Yip, “Influences

of Smartphone and Computer Use on Health-

Related Quality of Life of Early Adolescents,” Int

J Environ Res Public Health, vol. 19, no. 4, 2022,

doi: 10.3390/ijerph19042100.

[2] Z. A. Ratan, A. M. Parrish, S. Bin Zaman, M. S.

Alotaibi, and H. Hosseinzadeh, “Smartphone

addiction and associated health outcomes in adult

Nevertheless,

several

limitations

should

acknowledged. First, the sample was neither probabilistic

nor representative, which limits the generalizability of the

findings. Second, demographic variables such as age and

gender were estimated visually rather than measured

directly, which may reduce precision. Third, the findings

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 84

populations: A systematic review,” 2021. doi:

10.3390/ijerph182212257.

[15] L. Tajouri et al., “The role of mobile phones as a

possible pathway for pathogen movement A cross-

sectional, microbial analysis,” Travel Med Infect

[3] M. Olivella-Cirici, X. Garcia-Continente, M.

Bartroli Checa, G. Serral Cano, and G. Pérez

Albarracín, “The problematic use of the mobile

phone: cross-sectional analysis of the individual

profile and associated factors,” Rev Esp Salud

Publica, vol. 97, 2023.

[4] Y. Wacks and A. M. Weinstein, “Excessive

Smartphone Use Is Associated With Health

Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults,”

2021. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669042.

Dis,

10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102095.

[16] S. Bhandari, “Mindful Interactions,” 2019.

vol.

43,

2021,

doi:

[17] F. ‘Floyd’ Mueller et al., “Grand challenges in

human-food interaction,” International Journal of

Human Computer Studies, vol. 183, 2024, doi:

10.1016/j.ijhcs.2023.103197.

[18] J. S. Radesky et al., “Patterns of mobile device use

by caregivers and children during meals in fast

food restaurants,” Pediatrics, vol. 133, no. 4, 2014,

doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-3703.

[5] R. F. da M. Gonçalves et al., “Smartphone use

while eating increases caloric ingestion,” Physiol

Behav,

vol.

204,

2019,

doi:

[19] P. Weber, P. Engelbutzeder, and T. Ludwig,

“‘always on the Table’: Revealing Smartphone

Usages in everyday Eating Out Situations,” in

ACM International Conference Proceeding Series,

2020. doi: 10.1145/3419249.3420150.

10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.021.

[6] M. La Marra, G. Caviglia, and R. Perrella, “Using

Smartphones When Eating Increases Caloric

Intake in Young People: An Overview of the

Literature,”

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587886.

[7] R. J. Allred and D. Atkin, “Cell Phone Addiction,

Anxiety, and Willingness to Communicate in Face-

to-Face Encounters,” Communication Reports, vol.

2020.

doi:

[20] A. Kiefner-Burmeister, S. Domoff, and J. Radesky,

“Feeding in the digital age: An observational

analysis of mobile device use during family meals

at fast food restaurants in Italy,” Int J Environ Res

Public Health, vol. 17, no. 17, 2020, doi:

10.3390/ijerph17176077.

33,

no.

2020,

doi:

10.1080/08934215.2020.1780456.

[21] J. M. Soon, “Finger licking good? An observational

study of hand hygiene practices of fast food

restaurant employees and consumers,” British

Food Journal, vol. 121, no. 3, 2019, doi:

10.1108/BFJ-07-2018-0420.

[8] S. L. Lian, X. J. Sun, G. F. Niu, X. J. Yang, Z. K.

Zhou, and C. Yang, “Mobile phone addiction and

psychological distress among Chinese adolescents:

The mediating role of rumination and moderating

role of the capacity to be alone,” J Affect Disord,

vol. 279, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.10.005.

[9] M. Olsen et al., “Mobile phones represent a

pathway for microbial transmission: A scoping

review,” 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101704.

[10] N. A. Hikmah and T. S. Anuar, “Mobile phones: A

possible vehicle of bacterial transmission in a

higher learning institution in Malaysia,” Malaysian

Journal of Medical Sciences, vol. 27, no. 2, 2020,

doi: 10.21315/mjms2020.27.2.15.

[22] N. Elias, D. Lemish, and G. Rovner-Lev, “Food for

Thought:

Parent-Child

Face-to-Face

Communication and Mobile Phone Use in

Eateries,” J Fam Commun, vol. 21, no. 4, 2021,

doi: 10.1080/15267431.2021.1953501.

[23] R. Pérez-Sánchez and M. Dodel, “Predictores del

uso problemático del teléfono celular en

adolescentes

Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Niñez y

Juventud, vol. 21, no. 1, 2025, doi:

10.11600/rlcsnj.21.1.5525.

costarricenses,”

Revista

[11] N. Bhardwaj, M. Khatri, S. K. Bhardwaj, C. Sonne,

A. Deep, and K. H. Kim, “A review on mobile

phones as bacterial reservoirs in healthcare

[24] M. F. Alwi, S. Adi, and W. C. Rachmawati, “The

Effect of Smartphone Addiction on Adolescent

Mental Health and Social Interaction,” in

Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on

Sport Science and Health (ICSSH 2021), 2022. doi:

10.2991/ahsr.k.220203.012.

environments

decontamination

and

approaches,”

potential

2020.

device

doi:

10.1016/j.envres.2020.109569.

[12] W. Gómez-Gonzales et al., “Contamination by

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria on Cell Phones of

[25] L. Lin, X. Wang, Q. Li, B. Xia, P. Chen, and W.

Wang, “The Influence of Interpersonal Sensitivity

on Smartphone Addiction: A Moderated Mediation

Model,” Front Psychol, vol. 12, 2021, doi:

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.670223.

[26] B. Mostyn Sullivan, A. M. George, and D.

Rickwood, “An exploration of motives that

influence problematic smartphone use in young

adults,” Behaviour and Information Technology,

Vendors in

Peruvian Market,” Medicina

(Lithuania), vol. 59, no. 4, 2023, doi:

10.3390/medicina59040669.

[13] M. Kirchner, R. M. Goulter, B. J. Chapman, J.

Clayton, and L. A. Jaykus, “Cross-contamination

on atypical surfaces and venues in food service

environments,” 2021. doi: 10.4315/JFP-20-314.

[14] M. Olsen et al., “Mobile phones are hazardous

microbial platforms warranting robust public

health and biosecurity protocols,” Sci Rep, vol. 12,

no. 1, 2022, doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-14118-9.

vol.

44,

no.

2025,

doi:

10.1080/0144929X.2024.2380102.

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 85

[27] M. Gale, J. Shawcroft, S. M. Coyne, S. Brown, and

J. Radesky, “McDonalds, Mom, Media, and Me:

An Observational Study of Parent and Adolescent

Media Use During Public Family Mealtime,”

Transl Issues Psychol Sci, vol. 9, no. 3, 2023, doi:

10.1037/tps0000368.

Contribution

Role

Author(s)

Alejandra García Becerra «equal»

Conceptualization - José Abel Chocoteco Campos

«equal»

Nancy María Aguilar Hernández

[28] M. Kikumori and R. Ishii, “Dine with me, not your

smartphone! Negative impacts of companion

phubbing on dining experience satisfaction,”

Consumer Behavior in Tourism and Hospitality,

vol. 20, no. 1, 2025, doi: 10.1108/CBTH-07-2024-

0250.

[29] A. M. Lando, M. C. Bazaco, and Y. Chen,

“Consumers’ use of personal electronic devices in

the kitchen,” J Food Prot, vol. 81, no. 3, 2018, doi:

10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-17-172.

«lead», Julio Cesar Barajas Cortés

«equal», Ánguel Cuitlahuac

Guerrero Pérez «equal»

José Abel Chocoteco Campos

«lead», Alejandra García Becerra

«equal», Nancy María Aguilar

Hernández «equal»

Alejandra García Becerra «equal»

Data cleansing

Methodology

Project

- José Abel Chocoteco Campos

Administration

«equal»

[30] S. de Paz-Cantos et al., “Smartphone use by

children in fast food restaurants in Barcelona

(Spain): a direct observation study,” Gac Sanit, vol.

38, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2024.102421.

[31] J. G. K. C. Jayawickrama, S. Selvam, T. M.

Dunumala, Y. A. M. S. Samaratunga, H. W. M. C.

Weligodapola, and R. M. N. M. Rathnayake, “Fast

Food Consumption Behavior among Young

Nancy María Aguilar Hernández

«lead», Julio Cesar Barajas Cortés

«equal», Ánguel Cuitlahuac

Guerrero Pérez «equal»

Software

Alejandra García Becerra «equal»

- José Abel Chocoteco Campos

«equal»

José Abel Chocoteco Campos

«lead», Alejandra García Becerra

«equal», Nancy María Aguilar

Hernández «equal»

Alejandra García Becerra «lead»,

Nancy María Aguilar Hernández

«equal»

Supervision

Parents:

Qualitative Study with Special

Reference to Selected Franchised Fast Food

Restaurants Within the Colombo City in Sri

Lanka.,” International Journal of Academic

Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 10,

no. 4, 2020, doi: 10.6007/ijarbss/v10-i4/7202.

[32] J. Kellershohn, K. Walley, B. West, and F.

Vriesekoop, “Young consumers in fast food

restaurants: technology, toys and family time,”

Young Consumers, vol. 19, no. 1, 2018, doi:

10.1108/YC-08-2017-00731.

Visualization

Writing (original

draft)

José Abel Chocoteco Campos

«lead», Alejandra García Becerra

«equal»

Writing (review

and editing)

Esta obra está bajo

una licencia internacional

Creative Commons Atribución 4.0

[33] Statista, “Share of adults in the United States who

owned a smartphone from 2015 to 2023, by age

group,”

https://www.statista.com/statistics/489255/percent

age-of-us-smartphone-owners-by-age-group/.

[34] I. Karunarathna et al., “Data Collection

Fundamentals: A Guide to Effective Research

Methodologies and Ethical Practices,” Research

Gate.

[35] E. Y. K. Ng, L. N. Ung, F. C. Ng, and L. S. J. Sim,

“Statistical analysis of healthy and malignant

breast thermography,” J Med Eng Technol, vol. 25,

no. 6, 2001, doi: 10.1080/03091900110086642.

[36] H. Davis, H. S. Ferdous, and F. Vetere, “‘Table

manners’: Children’s use of mobile technologies in

family-friendly restaurants,” in Conference on

Human Factors in Computing Systems

Proceedings, 2017. doi:

10.1145/3027063.3053353.

[37] “Deloitte-Mobile-Consumer-2016-There-is-no-

place-like-phone”.

CONTRIBUTION ROLES TABLE

Recepción: 31/01/2026 ǀ Aceptación: 11/04/2026 | Publicación: 12/05/2026

IPSUMTEC9 ǀ Volumen 9 –N°1 ǀ enero -junio 2026

Página 86