Metabolic Risks to Digital Dependency: A Bibliometric Analysis of ScreenTime and Health Outcomes among Indian Youth

Abstract

The issue of digital dependence has become a topical public health concern in Indians adolescents, especially given the blistering increase in the volume of mobile data and transformational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current investigation contains a bibliometric evaluation of 343 publications included in Scopus and published between 1991 and 2026 and at the intersection of screen time, digital addiction, and metabolic health outcomes. After using VOSviewer to map the science, a significant rise in the research output was noted in 2013 with the highest number of published papers in 2025 (63). India has a preminence in the contribution to this field and has contributed 267 publications. The analysis has identified five major thematic groups, which are metabolic and academic effects, sleep disturbances, rural-urban health disparities, media epidemiology, and psychological effects. Although the available literature provides a clear connection between screen exposure excess and metabolic syndrome, it is observed that there is a substantial lack in longitudinal studies and intervention-oriented studies. These results underline the necessity of detailed policy frameworks intended to govern the digital use and ensure the physical health of the younger generation.