Khaberni - A recent study indicates that spending more than 10 hours weekly on video games can negatively impact the diet, sleep quality, and body mass in youth.
The journal Nutrition published findings from a study that included 317 students from five Australian universities, with an average age of 20 years.
Based on self-assessment of video game playing time, participants were divided into three groups:
Low participation: From 0 to 5 hours weekly
Moderate participation: From 5 to 10 hours weekly
Active players: More than 10 hours weekly
The results showed that students who play rarely or moderately enjoy similar health indicators, though these indicators significantly deteriorate when exceeding the threshold of 10 hours of play per week.
Professor Mario Servo from Curtin University in Australia confirmed that the findings indicate that the harm is due to excessive gaming and not video games themselves. He said:
"Students who played up to 10 hours per week were similar in terms of dietary indicators, sleep, and body mass, whereas clear differences were observed in those who played more than 10 hours, as their health indicators significantly deviated from the rest of the sample."
The study revealed that dietary quality declines when exceeding 10 hours of gaming weekly, in addition to an increased obesity rate among active players compared to those who play rarely or moderately.
The average body mass index of active players was 26.3 kg/m², while it remained within the healthy range for rare and moderate players, recording 22.2 kg/m² and 22.8 kg/m², respectively.
Professor Servo pointed out that "every additional hour of play weekly is associated with a decline in food quality, even after taking into account stress, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors."
Overall, all groups reported a decrease in sleep quality, but the problem was more pronounced for moderate and active players compared to those who play rarely, with increased play hours directly linked to sleep disturbances.
The researcher concluded by saying:
"Our study does not prove that video games are the direct cause of these issues, but it reveals a clear pattern indicating that excessive playing may be associated with increased health risk factors. It can be assumed that playing moderately is generally harmless, while excessive playing may replace important healthy habits like balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, and physical activity. Since college habits often continue into adulthood, adopting healthy practices—like taking breaks from gaming, avoiding long night sessions, and choosing healthy snacks—may contribute to improved overall health."
