Exercise studies suggest improved internet-addiction outcomes, with important uncertainty
A meta-analysis favored exercise interventions, but unclear participant descriptions and uneven study quality limit how confidently the results can be applied.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Exercise interventions were associated with better internet-addiction outcomes than control conditions in the pooled analysis. A category called combined movement ranked highest in the network analysis. However, small samples and uneven study quality make the findings preliminary, and the abstract does not clearly explain who participated or what the combined program involved.
The abstract shifts between university students and adolescents and omits assessment scales, follow-up times and intervention details. The authors also identify small samples and varying study quality as limitations.
What researchers found
Internet-addiction outcomes
Exercise versus control groups; assessment timing and named scales were not reported. The standardized mean difference favored exercise.
How to read the pooled result
The result describes a standardized difference in internet-addiction outcomes between groups. It does not show a percentage reduction in internet use, an amount of time saved online, or how many participants recovered.
Why the ranking needs caution
Combined movement received the highest ranking probability, but rankings alone do not establish dependable superiority over every alternative. The abstract does not describe this intervention well enough to turn the result into a practical exercise program.
The original publication
The effects of different exercise interventions on reducing internet addiction in adolescents or young adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Li Y, Zhong S, Lian L
Front Psychiatry · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41383987
- Record checked
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