Can Video Games Cause Obesity?
Eating excessively without exercise and playing video games causes obesity in children and adults.
Being obese is being overweight.
Eating a lot of food without working out is the main cause of being overweight.
If someone is obese, he or she can suffer from many health problems.
Some of these problems include cancer, diabetes, and much more.
Today, a lot of kids love to play video games.
They spend hours sitting playing their favorite games.
This means they are not engaged in physical activities like it used to be in the past.
The number of hours spent playing video games is more than the time they use playing outdoors.
Also, most people that play video games eat a lot which leads to obesity.
Why video games cause obesity
Playing video games is linked to obesity because when a gamer is playing video games, he or she can eat simultaneously.
Also, kids enjoy eating heavy foods like pizzas and soft drinks.
However. adults eat fish, chicken, and chips while playing their favorite games.
This means that people eat a lot when gaming.
And when you check most food labels they eat, you can easily tell they are not eating healthy foods.
They eat fast food without engaging themselves with physical activities.
The time children spend watching TV, playing digital games or surfing the internet is alarming.
In fact, based on statistics, the number of obese children has tripled since 1980.
The only time kids are engaged in physical activities is in school.
During the holidays or the weekends, children spend most of their time indoors gaming.
It is important to note that laying or sitting down for too long is not healthy for children or adults.
You should avoid eating while gaming to prevent being overweight.
According to studies, over 90 percent of kids in America play video games.
This means that there is a possibility of more than half of American kids becoming obese.
Based on studies, most of these gamers play video games after school or during the weekends.
They also eat large quantities of junk food while gaming.
And since obesity is a difficult condition to treat, prevention is essential.
They should teach children at their younger stages to exercise and eat healthy.
Through moderation and engaging kids with physical activities, parents can prevent them from being obese.
What researches say about gaming and obesity?
According to research, playing digital games is the leading cause of overweight in children.
Since it is addictive, most kids spend hours or even days playing video games.
Modern games are very interesting, engaging but very addictive.
Once someone plays, it becomes impossible for him or her to stop.
Whether you are eating or drinking, players do it without thinking.
Gaming, watching TV and spending a lot of time on the computer are inactive activities.
However, playing video games is considered the worse addiction.
This is because you can spend many hours playing your favorite game.
The researchers recommend control to ensure kids get involved in other activities.
This will also prevent other health risks associated with gaming.
Other health problems linked to gaming
Apart from obesity, video games can cause many health problems.
Some problems are visions issues, muscle strains, and other illnesses.
Most of these problems occur in children, and especially boys.
Also, there are several gaming consoles that have been associated with health problems.
But, there are more studies being carried out to determine the problem.
Some health problems linked to gaming include:
Addiction
Even though it is rare for adult gamers to be addicted to video games, children who play video games for long hours can become addicted.
When someone is addicted to something, there are many negative effects.
For instance, unexpected weight loss/gain, poor hygiene, impulsivity, and others.
Video game addiction can also lead to gambling for both kids and adults.
Seizures
Other gaming problems are seizures.
Even though it is rare, people who are engaged in gaming for a long time may suffer from seizures.
Though there may be no scientific evidence that links seizures with excessive video gaming, there is an association between epilepsy and gaming.
Photosensitive epilepsy arises once someone uses a device such as a computer or TV for a long time.
And eventually, this can trigger seizures.
Some video game developers have taken extra precaution and have placed seizure warnings in the introductory part of the game.
Vision impairments
Another major health problem gaming might cause is visual impairment.
This means that people who spend too many hours watching TV, computer, or gaming consoles may suffer from glaucoma or eye strains.
This mostly affects individuals who watch or play video games too close to the screen.
Staring at a bright screen for several hours non-stop can lead to eye damage and later affect your vision.
Research has also noted that people blink less while looking into their bright screen monitor.
This can cause the eyes to lose moisture and become irritated.
Headaches and migraine
Another common health issue caused by video games are headaches and migraines.
People who play video games for over six hours every day can justify that they complain about headaches.
Migraines cause pain that pushes on one side of the head.
We can also associate it with fatigue, vomiting, and nausea.
A player can experience migraines for many hours, several days or maybe weeks.
Headaches and migraine often happen because of too much concentration and visual impairments.
Final word
While eating bad and playing video games can cause obesity, there are solutions.
It is important to note that video games have positive and negative health effects.
For instance, studies show gaming enhances the memory, improves problem-solving skills, enhances decision-making skills and can improve social interaction.
Also, video games can be used to educated and reduce pain in children.
Hence, it is important for parents to combine gaming with exercises.
This could be the first step to living a healthy life.
There are also many digital games that are engaging and can help children become interested in sports and other physical activities.
The key to being a healthy gamer is to divide your game time with physical activities.
Choosing fruits and vegetables over junk food will keep you energized and focused.
External Resources
TheStateofObesity.com, Adult Obesity in the United States. Retrieved on 8/18/2023.