Health-Risk Correlates of Video-Game Playing Among Adults

Background

Although considerable research suggests that health-risk factors vary as a function of video-game playing among young people, direct evidence of such linkages among adults is lacking.

Purpose

The goal of this study was to distinguish adult video-game players from nonplayers on the basis of personal and environmental factors. It was hypothesized that adults who play video games, compared to nonplayers, would evidence poorer perceptions of their health, greater reliance on Internet-facilitated social support, more extensive media use, and higher BMI. It was further hypothesized that different patterns of linkages between video-game playing and health-risk factors would emerge by gender.

Methods

A cross-sectional, Internet-based survey was conducted in 2006 with a sample of adults from the Seattle–Tacoma area (n=562), examining health risks; media use behaviors and perceptions, including those related to video-game playing; and demographics. Statistical analyses conducted in 2008 to compare video-game players and nonplayers included bivariate descriptive statistics, stepwise discriminant analysis, and ANOVA.

Results

A total of 45.1% of respondents reported playing video games. Female video-game players reported greater depression (M=1.57) and poorer health status (M=3.90) than female nonplayers (depression, M=1.13; health status, M=3.57). Male video-game players reported higher BMI (M=5.31) and more Internet use time (M=2.55) than male nonplayers (BMI, M=5.19; Internet use, M=2.36). The only determinant common to female and male video-game players was greater reliance on the Internet for social support.

Conclusions

A number of determinants distinguished video-game players from nonplayers, and these factors differed substantially between men and women. The data illustrate the need for further research among adults to clarify how to use digital opportunities more effectively to promote health and prevent disease.

Introduction

Among researchers, there is growing concern and uncertainty about the health consequences of video game playing.1, 2 Given the ubiquity of video games—industry estimates suggest that they are played in 65% of American households3, 4—these concerns may be justified. Young people are particularly vulnerable to media exposure,5, 6 and most research on video-game playing has focused on those aged 8–18 years (∼15% of the U.S. population⁷). National studies8, 9 show that video-game playing is prevalent in this age group, with 59%–73% playing a video game on any given day. Evidence also suggests that video-game playing is associated with adverse health consequences among young people,10, 11 such as aggressive thoughts and behaviors,¹² a sedentary lifestyle, overweight,13, 14, 15, 16 and musculoskeletal problems.¹⁷ Video-game playing has also been associated with negative social and developmental outcomes, including poor school performance,18, 19 video-game addiction,20, 21 and delinquency.²²

Despite the preponderance of adults among video-game players (∼50% aged 18–49 years; 25% aged ≥50 years3, 4), the few studies23, 24, 25 that have examined health risks associated with video-game playing have focused on younger adults (aged 18–30 years), compromising generalizability. Recent evidence suggests, however, that some corollaries of video-game playing found among young people may remain stable into adulthood. One study²³ involving online video-game players aged 8–34 years found that 11.9% of players fulfilled at least three criteria of addiction in their gaming behavior; this subgroup showed higher rates of both game playing and aggressive behaviors than players who did not meet these criteria. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, it has been found²⁴ that adolescents who played video games experienced considerable declines in physical activity and maintained sedentary behaviors, including video-game playing, into adulthood. One international survey²⁵ reveals social consequences of video-game playing among adults. When participants were asked what sacrifices they made to play online computer games, about 25% responded “another hobby or pastime” and about 20% said “socializing with friends, family and/or partner” or “sleep”; less than 10% said “work and/or education.”

Emerging research also reveals that men and women differ in their preferences for video-game content,26, 27 which may account for the fact that women are less interested in playing video games.²⁸ Although both men and women report seeking a challenge, men prefer games that feature competition and arousal and that provide “a reason to get together.”²⁶ Women play games for diversion, prefer noncompetitive games, and do not agree that video games provide a reason for social interaction.26, 27

Although research on adults is informative, it fails to illuminate the link between physical and mental health outcomes and video-game playing. Evidence is available23, 24, 25 about the precursors of poor physical and mental health, such as physical inactivity, aggression, and video-game playing. What is lacking, however, is direct evidence that adult health-risk factors vary as a function of video-game playing.

This investigation explores the health corollaries of adult video-game playing within the framework of social cognitive theory (SCT). SCT posits a model of reciprocal causation in which behavioral, personal, and environmental factors all operate as interacting determinants.²⁹ An aim of the current study is to distinguish video-game players from nonplayers on the basis of personal and environmental factors. Consistent with SCT, self-reported personal factors include depression, personality characteristics, physical and mental health, and demographics. Environmental factors include perceived social support and immersion in media environments.

Given these factors, it is hypothesized that adults who report video-game playing will also report poorer perceptions of their health, greater reliance on social support from the Internet community, and more extensive immersion in media than those not engaged in video-game playing. Video-game playing, because it is associated with both sedentary behavior24, 30, 31 and metabolic risk in adulthood,32, 33 will also be associated with higher reported BMI. It is further hypothesized that the linkages between video-game playing and health-risk factors will differ by gender.