Introduction

Technological advancements have made the Internet a key part of daily life, but excessive device use poses health, psychological, and social risks. Prevention, ergonomics education, and regular physical activity are essential for maintaining well-being and preventing related issues.

Aim of the research

The aim of the research was to assess problematic Internet use and its association with the time spent on physical activity during leisure time among computer science students, as well as any changes in these patterns over the course of their studies.

Material and methods

The study assessed computer science students from Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce and Kielce University of Technology in 2018 and 2020 to evaluate the impact of Internet usage on their lives. Researchers utilised the Internet Addiction Questionnaire (TPUI22) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), along with a custom questionnaire, to analyse electronic device usage and physical activity habits.

Results

Computer science students showed significant changes in their usage habits for mobile phones and desktop computers during their education, increasing mobile phone use to over 3 hours and extending computer usage by 2 hours. A higher percentage of third-year students reported low physical activity levels (28.95%) compared to first-year students (15.79%). Overall, increased mobile phone and computer usage correlated with lower physical activity and higher levels of problematic Internet use.

Conclusions

Young adults spend up to 3 hours daily on mobile phones and over 5 hours on computers during studies, leading to decreased physical activity and lower energy expenditure. Increased device usage correlates with problematic Internet use, particularly among computer science students, indicating a need for education on responsible Internet habits and support for young people.