A new study led by Australia's Curtin University, published in Nutrition, indicates that young adults who play video games for more than 10 hours per week may experience impacts on their diet quality, body weight, and sleep patterns. The research, which surveyed 317 university students, found a notable decline in specific health markers among those with higher gaming engagement.
Study Overview
The research was conducted by Australia's Curtin University and published in the journal Nutrition. The study surveyed 317 university students from five institutions across Australia, with participants having a median age of 20 years.
Methodology
Participants were categorized into three distinct groups based on their self-reported weekly video gaming hours:
- Low gamers: 0-5 hours per week
- Moderate gamers: 5-10 hours per week
- High gamers: Over 10 hours per week
Key Findings
Researchers observed that students in the low and moderate gaming categories reported comparable health outcomes. However, health outcomes significantly declined for those who engaged in gaming for more than 10 hours per week.
Professor Mario Siervo from the Curtin School of Population Health stated that the findings suggest excessive gaming, rather than gaming itself, appeared to be the primary factor, with clear differences emerging beyond the 10-hour weekly gaming threshold.
Specific findings among students identified as high gamers included:
- Diet Quality: Poorer diet quality.
- Obesity Rates: Higher obesity rates, with a median body mass index (BMI) of 26.3.
- BMI Comparison: This compared to median BMIs of 22.2 for low gamers and 22.8 for moderate gamers.
- Sleep Disruption: While all surveyed groups reported generally poor sleep quality, increased gaming hours were additionally associated with greater sleep disruption.
Recommendations
The study suggests that adopting healthy routines could help mitigate potential health risks associated with extensive gaming. Recommended routines include restricting late-night gaming sessions and selecting healthier snack choices.