Relationships Between Nomophobia Levels and Perceived Stress, Body Image and Food Addiction Among University Students

An Investigation of the Relationships Between Nomophobia Levels and Stress, Body Image and Food Addiction Among University Students

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of nomophobia levels on stress, food addiction, and body image among undergraduate students aged 18-30 at Bahçeşehir University, Faculty of Health Sciences. The primary questions it aims to answer are:

• Is there a statistically significant relationship between nomophobia levels and perceived stress, food addiction, and body image among university students?
• Is there a correlation between objective anthropometric data (body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass) measured via Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), waist/hip circumference measurements, and the individual's perceived body image?

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Stress; Body Image Disturbance; Body Image; Body Image Disorder; Food Addiction; Eating Behavior Disorders; Nomofobia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionnaires on Nomophobia, Perceived Stress, Body Image, and Food Addiction; Body Composition and Anthropometric Measurements via Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

Detailed Description

The data collection process for this study will involve undergraduate students aged 18-30 at Bahçeşehir University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Participants will first complete a survey consisting of a socio-demographic form, daily screen time tracking, the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), and the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale (FRS) to assess subjective body image.To ensure the accuracy of the biological data, participants will be required to follow a standardized measurement protocol, including at least 8 hours of fasting, avoidance of heavy physical activity prior to the assessment, and the removal of all metal accessories. Under these conditions, objective physical data will be gathered using the InBody 270 body composition analyzer via Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) to record body weight (kg), body fat percentage (%), and skeletal muscle mass (kg). Additionally, anthropometric measurements including waist and hip circumferences (cm) will be manually collected using a standardized non-elastic tape to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR). These objective metrics will be compared with the participants' subjective survey responses to analyze the impact of nomophobia on body image distortion, stress levels, and eating behaviors.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 150

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Beyza Terzioğlu; Phone Number: +90 212 381 91 52; Email: beyzaterziogluu@gmail.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Ecenur Özkul Erdoğan; Phone Number: +90 212 381 91 89; Email: ecenur.ozkul@bau.edu.tr

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • beşiktaş
    • Istanbul, beşiktaş, Turkey (Türkiye), 34353
      • Recruiting
      • Bahçeşehir University, Faculty of Health Sciences
      • Contact: Beyza Terzioğlu; Phone Number: +90 212 381 91 52; Email: beyzaterziogluu@gmail.com
      • Contact: Ecenur Özkul Erdoğan, PhD; Phone Number: +90 212 381 9189; Email: ecenur.ozkul@bau.edu.tr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of university students who are active smartphone users and have provided informed consent. Participants do not have pacemakers, metallic prostheses, or pregnancy, and they do not have diagnosed metabolic disorders (e.g., Cushing's syndrome, diabetes, thyroid disorders) or psychiatric conditions that could affect eating behavior. Individuals with current eating disorders, severe psychiatric diagnoses, regular use of psychiatric medications, recent corticosteroid or hormone therapy, or those who do not complete the questionnaires and measurement procedures are excluded.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being an active smartphone user
• Reading and providing consent via the Informed Consent Form
• Absence of conditions such as pacemaker implantation, metallic prostheses in the body, or pregnancy
• Not having a diagnosed metabolic disorder (e.g., Cushing's syndrome, diabetes, thyroid disorders) or any acute/chronic psychiatric condition that may affect eating behavior

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals with a current diagnosis of an eating disorder (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, etc.)
• Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis of severe depression, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, or an anxiety disorder requiring treatment
• Individuals who regularly use psychiatric medications (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, etc.)
• Individuals who have used corticosteroids or similar hormone-regulating medications in the past 3 months
• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals
• Participants who did not complete the questionnaires or the measurement procedures

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

University Students; Participants (n:150) will complete questionnaires assessing nomophobia, perceived stress, body image, and food addiction. In addition, objective anthropometric measurements, including body composition (fat mass, muscle mass) via Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (InBody 270) and waist-to-hip ratio measurements, will be collected. No drugs or treatments are administered.

Other: Questionnaires on Nomophobia, Perceived Stress, Body Image, and Food Addiction; Body Composition and Anthropometric Measurements via Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis; Participants will complete self-report questionnaires including the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0), and the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale (FRS). Objective anthropometric measurements, including body composition using InBody 270 and waist-to-hip ratio, will also be obtained.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nomophobia	The level of nomophobia experienced by participants, measured using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). This form aims to assess your feelings and thoughts when you cannot access your smartphone or are away from it, a condition known as nomophobia. There are no right or wrong answers; what matters is answering honestly based on your own experience. Indicate your level of agreement with each statement about your smartphone use (1 = strongly agree, 7 = strongly disagree).	Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perceived Stress	The level of stress perceived by participants, measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Below are a series of questions about your personal experiences over the past month. Please read each question carefully and mark the box under the option that best reflects you. There are no right or wrong answers; what matters is that you respond in a way that reflects your own feelings and thoughts. Never - Almost Never - Sometimes - Quite Often - Very Often	Baseline
Body Image	Self-perceived body image assessed using the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale (FRS), where participants select a figure that best represents their current and ideal body shape. The images in this section are designed to assess individuals' body perception. Below are figures representing different body types. Please examine these figures carefully and select the one that you think best represents you at the moment. There are no right or wrong answers in this study; what matters is reflecting your own perception as accurately as possible.	Baseline
Food Addiction	Assessment of addictive eating behaviors using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0). This questionnaire asks about your eating habits over the past year. People sometimes have difficulty controlling their intake of certain foods, such as; Sweets like ice cream, chocolate, pastries, cookies, cake, and candy; Starches such as white bread, bread, pasta, and rice; Salty snacks like chips, pretzels, and crackers; Fatty foods such as steak, bacon, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pizza, and French fries; Sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice When the following questions refer to SPECIFIC FOODS, please think of ANY foods similar to those listed in each category, or ANY OTHER foods that you may have had problems with during the past year.	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bahçeşehir University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Beyza Terzioğlu, Bahcesehir university; Study Chair: Ecenur Özkul Erdoğan, PhD, Bahcesehir university

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 2, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 15, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: stress; body image; food addiction; nomophobia
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Behavior, Addictive; Compulsive Behavior; Impulsive Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Somatoform Disorders; Behavior; Food Addiction; Body Dysmorphic Disorders; Physiological Phenomena; Biochemical Phenomena; Chemical Phenomena; Body Constitution; Metabolism; Body Composition
• Other Study ID Numbers: BahcesehirUniversity

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: No individual participant data (IPD) will be shared with other researchers. Individual-level data will remain confidential in accordance with data protection regulations (e.g., KVKK); however, aggregated data, summary statistics, and group-level results may be reported in publications and presentations.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No