London, March 27 (IANS): The hunching posture adopted by smart phone users or other mobile devices is as bad as being obese and could lead to breathing problems in old age, new research has found.

The effect of the posture is not immediately evident as it results in breathing problems leading to cardiovascular problems later in life, the British United Chiropractic Association (UCA) study has claimed.

The study could also suggest link of the posture with hyperkyphosis which is associated with pulmonary disease and cardiovascular problems, the Daily Mail reported.

Hyperkyphosis is a spinal deformity that looks like a forward-curved posture of the head and the upper back.

To go online or play a game on a phone, users drop their head and round their shoulders which leads to restrictions of their muscles, making its harder for them to take a full breadth, said the study.

Elderly people with a slight amount of hyperkyphosis have higher risk of mortality when compared with those without it.

This is similar to the increase in risk of death from having a body mass index greater than 30, the study added.

"The forward-leaning posture has a greater negative effect than medical professionals previously thought," UCA executive member Estelle Zauner-Maughan was quoted as saying.