Study Finds Adult Videogamers may Face Health Risks

Depression and weight gain may plague adult videogamers, a recent study has said.

The study, conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Emory University and Andrews University, found "measurable correlations between video-game playing and health risks."

Playing Active Video Games Equivalent to Moderate Exercise in Kids
A study at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre says that playing active video games, like the Nintendo Wii, is equally beneficial for children as moderate exercise.

The study -- "Health-Risk Correlates of Video-Game Playing Among Adults" -- is being published in the October issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The researchers surveyed 562 adults ranging in age from 19 to 90 in the Seattle-Tacoma area of Washington state. A total of 45.1 percent of those surveyed reported playing videogames.

The Seattle-Tacoma area -- home of Microsoft and Amazon -- was selected because it has the highest Internet usage level in the country.

Microsoft Launches 'hands-free' Video Games
The ultimate computer game that banishes handheld controls and allows players' gestures to dictate the action on screen is to be launched by Microsoft.

Female videogame players reported greater depression and lower health status than female non-players while male videogame players reported a higher body mass index (BMI) and more Internet use time than male non-players.

"The only determinant common to both female and male video-game players was greater reliance on the Internet for social support," the study said.

Two Third Aussies Indulge in Video Games
A survey has found that the favourite passtime for many Australians during these times of recession is video games.

"As hypothesized, health-risk factors -- specifically, a higher BMI and a greater number of poor mental-health days -- differentiated adult video-game players from nonplayers," said Dr. James Weaver of the CDC's National Center for Health Marketing.

"Video-game players also reported lower extraversion, consistent with research on adolescents that linked video-game playing to a sedentary lifestyle and overweight status, and to mental-health concerns," he said.

Most Men Prefer Playing Video Games to Sex: UK Study
A third of men would rather play video games than have a night of passion with their partners, reveals a new UK study.

Most studies on videogame use and health have focused on adolescents. The study is one of the first to study the health-risk factors of videogame playing in adults.

Source-AFP
SAV