Experts caution that devoting excessive time to a single hobby could elevate health risk factors. A study led by Curtin University reveals that surpassing 10 hours of this activity tends to trigger adverse effects on diet, sleep quality, and body weight.
Researchers, as part of the investigation, surveyed 317 students from five Australian universities, with a median age of 20 years. These participants were categorized into three groups based on their weekly video gaming duration: ‘low gamers’ (up to five hours), ‘moderate gamers’ (five to 10 hours), and ‘high gamers’ (over 10 hours).
While the health outcomes were similar for low and moderate gamers, high gamers exhibited significant differences. Notably, diet quality deteriorated when gaming hours exceeded 10 per week, leading to a higher obesity prevalence in this group.
Professor Mario Siervo from the Curtin School of Population Health highlights that excessive gaming could be a critical concern. He notes that students gaming up to 10 hours weekly displayed uniformity in diet, sleep, and body weight, but those exceeding 10 hours showed distinct divergence.
High gamers had a median body mass index (BMI) of 26.3kg/m2, whereas low and moderate gamers had median BMIs of 22.2kg/m2 and 22.8kg/m2, respectively. Sleep quality was generally poor across all groups, with moderate and high gamers experiencing worse sleep and increased gaming hours correlating with more disrupted sleep.
Professor Siervo emphasizes that each additional gaming hour per week correlates with a decline in diet quality, independent of other factors. While the study does not establish causation, it underscores a pattern linking excessive gaming to heightened health risks.
He advises that low to moderate gaming levels are generally acceptable, but excessive gaming may displace healthy habits like balanced eating, proper sleep, and physical activity. Establishing healthier routines, such as taking breaks from gaming, avoiding late-night sessions, and opting for nutritious snacks, could enhance overall well-being as habits developed in university often persist into adulthood.
BMI serves as a common measure of ideal body weight, calculated based on height and weight. However, it has limitations and may not fully consider individual circumstances or muscle mass versus fat content.
The NHS recommends monitoring BMI but stresses that it is just one health indicator. Higher BMI levels increase the risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and it cannot differentiate between muscle and fat distribution. Therefore, complementing BMI with other health assessments, such as waist measurement, provides a more holistic view of well-being.