Saturday, August 29, 2009

Video gaming is the reason teenagers don't read, right? Wrong.

"My son always spends too much time on video games. How do I get him to read, ah?"

I have heard this question from dozens of parents. I am sure the authorities will tell you the same. Ask a Minister. But a news report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US appears to say that the average gamer is actually "a 35-year-old man who is overweight, aggressive, introverted and often depressed."

The study further shows that children and teenagers who are addicted tend toward physical inactivity and corresponding health problems.

"... there is growing concern and uncertainty about the health consequences of video game playing,” the CDC reports. “Given the ubiquity of video games -- industry
estimates suggest that they are played in 65% of American households -- these concerns may be justified.”

According to the CDC, both male and female gamers were more likely to be overweight, had more poor-mental-health days and were less socially outgoing than non-gamers. Women gamers were more likely to say that they experienced depression and other general health issues than women who aren’t gamers.

Jim McGregor, an analyst says, "It gives Americans just another reason to be fat, dumb and lazy.”

Wired.com