Researchers at USC, Palo Alto, and the University of Delaware have come to the conclusion that online gamers are fitter than the average American.
Their research involved surveying 7000 players of the Everquest II online role playing game.
The results suggest that adult gamers have an average body mass index of 25.2, compared to the overall American average of 28. The average gamer also engages in vigorous exercise once or twice a week, which the researchers say is more than most Americans. The reasons for this are not obvious, although the team suggest it may be because more educated, wealthier people are attracted to computer games, and these people also tend to take better care of their health.
I can certainly see the correlation, and I know plenty of people who play online games that are extremely fit. Of course, I also know plenty of people who aren’t, so I don’t know how well this relatively small sample size can create a trend for the industry. It would be interesting to see whether the results stay the same if they were to conduct their research across a multitude of different games and had a larger sample size.
There is one negative note of interest to the study, however. Apparently, the demographic they found that plays the online games is more prone to depression and substance abuse. It seems to me that those folks should get out to exercise 3 to 5 times per week instead of just 1 to 2.
Here’s an informal survey to continue their research. I’ll assume that if you are visiting this website that you are relatively fit, so as somebody that is in better shape than the average American, do you play online video games or do you have any substance abuse problems or fits of depression?
I’ll start. I have a BMI of about 21, get bored of games too quickly to make it worth spending much in the way of money on them, and generally have a pretty rosy outlook on life. I can’t say that I have any substance abuse issues, since I’ll sometimes go months at a time without having a drink and rarely have more than 1 or 2 beers at a time. I also don’t regularly use any other sorts of drugs unless they get prescribed to me by my physician, which happens maybe once every year or two.
(More Info: New Scientist vol. 2674 page 24 – Photo Credit: Benny Mazur)
I haven’t used a scale recently, but my guesstimate on my weight gives me a BMI of 23. I don’t really ever drink never take any illegal drugs and rarely use any legal drugs either. I haven’t played video games in well over a year and almost never played them before.
That is definitely some interesting research, who would have thought. Maybe clicking your thumbs burns more calories than expected!
No wonder I got fat. I quit playing video games…
Ok, my sample is admittedly far too small to draw any meaningful conclusions…but the 3 people I know personally who are into gaming are also 3 of the most fit people in my life--hubby, brother, and brother’s girlfriend. Hubby is training for his 100+ mile ride through Death Valley to benefit the JDRF (this is his 4th year doing such a ride) and my brother and his GF are also avid cyclists and runners.
Maybe hardcore gamers NEED the exercise as a more physical outlet after playing? I’m not a gamer, but I did have a period where I played The SIMS for a few weeks. It really left me needing to get out and burn off some tension.
Or maybe it’s the reverse--active people sometimes need an inactive outlet…?
My BMI is 22. I play quite a lot of video games, though not online. I have an Xbox 360 and spend a fair bit of time and money on it. Video games are probably my #2 hobby behind running. I have never tried any drugs, and I drink in moderation.
Really True playing online games really for long term really result in Heavy weight and diet issues. Regular exercise and quality food may result to maintain yourself.