A portable terminal configured to assist a user to maintain a correct posture during use of the portable terminal, comprising: a front camera configured to capture face images of the user; a storage unit configured to store a reference face image of the user in a correct posture defining an angle of the user's head with respect to the user's torso to be within a predetermined range when viewing the portable terminal; an orientation sensor configured to collect orientation information regarding the orientation of the portable terminal; a determining unit configured to: compare the reference face image of the user pre-stored in said storage unit with a currently captured face image of the user; estimate a degree of tilt of the user's cervical spine as the state of the user's cervical spine based on a result of comparison between features of the reference face image and features of the currently captured face image, the features including the shape of face; determine whether the state of the user's cervical spine falls within a normal range or falls outside the normal range; if the state of the user's cervical spine is out of the normal range, calculate an angle of inclination of the portable terminal based on the collected orientation information, and calculate a tilt angle of the user's cervical spine corresponding to the calculated inclination angle of the portable terminal; and compare the calculated tilt angle of the user's cervical spine with a predetermined threshold range to determine that the user is using the portable terminal in an improper posture; and an alarming unit (102, 603, 802) configured to provide a predetermined alarm according to a result of determination by the determining unit. a front camera configured to capture face images of the user; a storage unit configured to store a reference face image of the user in a correct posture defining an angle of the user's head with respect to the user's torso to be within a predetermined range when viewing the portable terminal; an orientation sensor configured to collect orientation information regarding the orientation of the portable terminal; a determining unit configured to: compare the reference face image of the user pre-stored in said storage unit with a currently captured face image of the user; estimate a degree of tilt of the user's cervical spine as the state of the user's cervical spine based on a result of comparison between features of the reference face image and features of the currently captured face image, the features including the shape of face; determine whether the state of the user's cervical spine falls within a normal range or falls outside the normal range; if the state of the user's cervical spine is out of the normal range, calculate an angle of inclination of the portable terminal based on the collected orientation information, and calculate a tilt angle of the user's cervical spine corresponding to the calculated inclination angle of the portable terminal; and compare the calculated tilt angle of the user's cervical spine with a predetermined threshold range to determine that the user is using the portable terminal in an improper posture; and compare the reference face image of the user pre-stored in said storage unit with a currently captured face image of the user; estimate a degree of tilt of the user's cervical spine as the state of the user's cervical spine based on a result of comparison between features of the reference face image and features of the currently captured face image, the features including the shape of face; determine whether the state of the user's cervical spine falls within a normal range or falls outside the normal range; if the state of the user's cervical spine is out of the normal range, calculate an angle of inclination of the portable terminal based on the collected orientation information, and calculate a tilt angle of the user's cervical spine corresponding to the calculated inclination angle of the portable terminal; and compare the calculated tilt angle of the user's cervical spine with a predetermined threshold range to determine that the user is using the portable terminal in an improper posture; and an alarming unit (102, 603, 802) configured to provide a predetermined alarm according to a result of determination by the determining unit.