Link between obesity and video game usage, says study
Posted on: 12/May/2016 11:57:27 AM
A study published in the journal PLOS ONE says that there is a link between obesity and video games. The researchers have found that some children and youth who have high tendencies of video game addiction may be at risk of sleep deprivation. They are also at risk of disorders that are associated with obesity and poor cardio metabolic health.
Speaking about this, the authors of the study said, The study examines the growing global gaming phenomenon and its impact on youth health. (Our) findings are serious, given the rise in video game addictions. This is an important phenomenon to understand. We are seeing that some children and teens develop serious addiction-like symptoms to video games. It affects a vulnerable population of children and youth, can impact social interactions amongst youth and, as our research shows, can drive health issues.
A group of children and teens aged between 10 and 17 years of age were studied.The participants were in lifestyle management programs for either weight management or lipid disorders. The researchers studied the video game habits of the group, and if it had an effect on sleep habits, obesity and cardio metabolic health. The team used fitness trackers to monitor the duration of sleep and compared that with their video game usage.
The results showed that those who were addicted to video games had shorter sleep. This resulted in elevated blood pressure, in addition to low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high insulin resistance.
Say the researchers, It is important to note that this was a specific group of children and teens and it is unknown if this information applies to the general population.The research team is in the early days of evaluating video game addiction in children and teens. (We) plan on studying the effects in general populations while also analysing video game usage and addiction tendencies of gamers over time.
