Home
An innocent prisoner accused of committing treason faces a firing squad. Blindfolded, and with his back turned to five soldiers, he knows his death is imminent. With no hope of survival, the innocent man's fear overwhelms him in his final moments -- until a smoke grenade is lobbed into the vicinity, allowing his miraculous escape. Similarly, the video game industry is under constant assault by unscrupulous politicians and the media, but occasionally, a brave soul dispels their propaganda.
The Electronic Software Association and game developers frequently battle senators over censorship and game bans, but they've yet to disprove such claims as that "video games cause obesity." Perhaps this is because they agree, or maybe a proper defense wouldn't justify the expense.
Regardless of their reasoning, it's difficult to create a statistically sound study that determines if there's a causal relationship between video games and obesity. Therefore, personal experiences will be used in debunking the myth that video games cause obesity.
When discussing a potential relationship between video games and obesity, it's important to identify whether video games alone can cause personal weight gain. If an individual only slept and played video games that required him to remain stationary, he'd likely gain a few pounds -- unless he had genetics that made him more prone to being underweight.
Even if a 16 hours-a-day gamer only ate healthy foods, he likely wouldn't have a toned, muscular physique. He may be on the skinny side if he consumes plenty of fruits and vegetables instead of carbohydrates and fatty foods, but it's important to remember that "skinny" doesn't necessarily mean "healthy."
In contemporary America, most people work or go to school at least eight hours a day, so it's reasonable to assume that they have 6-8 hours per day for video games, at most. If people spend all of their free time playing video games and eat reasonably healthy, they may not be obese -- but their health likely isn't optimal.
But if people decrease their playing time and spend 30 minutes to an hour a day exercising and eating fruits and vegetables instead of junk food, they're far less likely to be overweight. A combination of strength training and cardiovascular exercise 30 minutes or more a day is enough for a person to be reasonably fit and still enjoy sedentary activities such as traditional video games. Even a brisk walk around the block in combination with a simple set of push-ups can help.
Clearly, if people eat well and exercise, it's possible to play hours of video games a day and be healthy, but personal wellbeing can also be achieved through less conventional means. Video games such as Wii Sports, DDR, and Nintendo's new Pokewalker all encourage players to be less sedentary. A daily brisk walk or a dance-off can go a long way in improving a person's cardiovascular health.
Instead of accusing video games of causing obesity, it's wise to look at all of the factors that cause weight gain. Weight problems usually emerge for various reasons: fear, trauma, stress, overeating, poor choices of foods, lack of exercise, genetics, and injuries that prevent a person from engaging in physical activity. Instead of blaming video games, it's important to examine ourselves.
What I propose for gamers who are interested in changing their bodies is to eat as healthy as their budget allows. It's also beneficial to do a little exercise each day, but of course not everyone has the ability and time. With certain disabilities, injuries, and medical conditions, exercise isn't always easy, but it can lead to an improved quality of life and greater enjoyment of personal interests.
When discussing obesity and video games, it's important to remember that weight doesn't determine a person's worth, regardless of whether or not there's a causal relationship. What's most important is making our own lives fulfilling, and sometimes, video games along with a bit of exercise can help accomplish this.
