The journal Nutrition published the results of a study involving 317 students from five Australian universities, with an average age of 20 years.
Based on self-assessment of the duration of video game playing, participants were divided into three groups:
Low participation: 0 to 5 hours per week
Average participation: 5 to 10 hours per week
Active players: More than 10 hours per week
The results showed that students who play rarely or moderately have similar health indicators, but these indicators deteriorate significantly when exceeding the threshold of 10 hours per week of play.
Professor Mario Cervo of Curtin University in Australia confirmed that the study's findings indicate the harm stems from excessive gaming, not video games themselves. He stated,
"Students who played up to 10 hours a week showed similar indicators of diet, sleep, and body mass, while those who played more than 10 hours exhibited significant differences, with their health indicators deviating considerably from the rest of the sample."
IThe study revealed a decline in dietary quality when playing more than 10 hours a week, in addition to a higher rate of obesity among active players compared to those who play rarely or moderately.
The average body mass index (BMI) of active players was 26.3 kg/m², while it remained within the healthy range for infrequent and moderate players, recording 22.2 kg/m² and 22.8 kg/m² respectively.
Professor Servo noted that "every additional hour of play per week is associated with a decrease in food quality, even after taking into account stress, physical activity and other lifestyle factors."
In general, all groups reported a decrease in sleep quality, but the problem was more pronounced among moderate and active players compared to those who played rarely, as increased hours of playing were directly associated with sleep disturbances.
"Our study does not prove that video games are the direct cause of these problems, but it does reveal a clear pattern suggesting that excessive gaming may be associated with increased health risk factors. It can be assumed that moderate gaming is often harmless, while excessive gaming may replace important healthy habits such as balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, and physical activity. Since college habits often persist into adulthood, adopting healthy practices—such as taking breaks from gaming, avoiding long nights, and choosing healthy snacks—may contribute to improved overall health."
