A new study finds a direct relationship between time spent on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites and vulnerability to gaining weight and having a less active lifestyle.

The results of the study which was conducted by the University of Ulster, based in Northern Ireland, was presented this week at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference in Liverpool.

Survey reports that active social media users spend less time exercising. (Image: Tunheim Partners (CC) via Flickr)

Three hundred fifty students participated in this online survey, which asked them questions regarding their levels of using social media and how often they exercise.

Results show that on average, students spend 1 hour per day on social networking sites. A little more than 50 percent of students said that they are “moderately active,” 12.7 percent said they have little physical activity and a third of participants said they were very active.

Furthermore, a quarter of the respondents said they play team sports.

The research concluded that when one spends less time exercising, it is related to the fact that one is spending more time using social networking sites.

According to a psychologist from University of Ulster, Dr. Wendy Cousins,

“Time is a finite resource, so time spent in social networking must come at the expense of other activities. Our study suggests that physical activity may be one of those activities.”

About Neal Alfie Lasta

I enjoy learning and writing about social media and the latest in mobile updates.