There’s no doubt about it, online gaming and gaming social networking sites, have definitely been around for a very long time and have affected us in a so many different ways (The history of online gaming). But, I wonder, are the affects of online gaming and the social gaming websites making the young adolescents of this generation obesity/overweight?
Let's dig a little deeper, Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) like ‘second Life’, ‘World of Warcraft’ and gaming social websites like ‘HABBO’ and ‘Zynga, have caused some young adolescents, to spend hours online and often lose track of the world around them, for anything other than basic needs: Eat, sleep, game and repeat. I feel that this is one of the major elements, which has caused obesity in young adolescents to rise. The fact that there is a lack of activity for extremely long periods of time, has caused young adolescents to become somewhat of a “couch potato”.
A number of studies have been carried out linking the effects of online gaming and obesity in young adolescents. “According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), obesity rates in children under 12 rose from about 15 percent in 1999, to nearly 19 percent in 2004, with a projected 20 percent rate in 2010”. I think this is down to the addictive nature of these social web aspects and the ever increasing displays of new technologies involved with them e.g. This is showed in the usage of ‘HABBO’ where you can literately spend hours of even days creating your own world, interacting with people, sell or buy goods, furnish and customize your own hotel room, visit the rooms of friends and strangers, create mini-games or turn their rooms into themed role-playing areas.
Times have really changed, when I was younger you would enjoy going out with your friends to play football, basketball of any other physical sport that you were into. Nowadays, if you were to ask a young adolescent to participate in a game of football his response would be “I’m going home to play ‘Fifa online’” or “I playing Fifa Online” (which I have experienced firsthand with my younger brother!).
I feel that the seriousness of this link between online gaming, the social web and obesity has effected today’s modern society so much, that companies like Nintendo and Microsoft have responded with attempted solutions, such as the ‘Nintendo Wii’ and the ‘Xbox Kinect’. I guess this is their endeavour to bring activity to young adolescents through online gaming and the social web.
So what do you think about the link between weight gain, obesity and the affects of online gaming and the social web in young adolescents today? Why do you think today’s young adolescents are so addicted to the online gaming/social web world? Are you a victim of the online gaming/social web sedentary lifestyle? What do you think could be employed to raise the awareness even further, or do you think enough is being done within the interactive online gaming/social web industry?
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This is an interesting topic, there may be a link between obesity and online gaming etc, as you are not being pyshically active when you are sitting in front of a screen. The Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect however, have been designed to keep you fit! I was reading up on benefits of online gaming and actually discovered that there are benefits of the technology use e.g. higher test scores in reading, more logical thinking, better observational skills..
ReplyDeleteRead this article for more skills: http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/videogames.htm
I personally believe that online gaming and virtual lives contribute to many people becoming couch potatoes. However, as long as you do regular exercise as well as playing online gaming then I think this is a good balance. No more is this the case with the Wii and Kinect which you have described in your article. Even certain types of games can help your reading skills for example, as mentioned in Sanjitha Miah's comment.
ReplyDeleteThis is certainly a topic which always cause interest. Gaming and online gaming can cause people to become obese, but I personally believe the individual should know when their health is starting to deteriate when playing online games. It is all a delicate balance which the individual needs to be in control of.
Jamal this is a very good post online gaming and social web addiction can lead to an unhealthy life style. Personally I think that if your sitting on the couch or in front of the TV most of the hours in your day your body would not burn calories/body fat . Having yourself sitting on the couch and spending too much time interacting with online gaming can effect and bring up major health issues.
ReplyDelete“Today’s children, ages 8 to 18, consume multiple types of media (often simultaneously) and spend more time (44.5 hours per week) in front of computer, television, and game screens than any other activity in their lives except sleeping” (apa)
Missing out on meals, not sleeping on time, and eating late can lead to health issues such as obesity, heart conditions and effect eye sights. Fitness is very important a key enzyme that aids people to an active life style allowing them to complete tasks during the day. So is social websites and social gaming effecting lifestyles I think so.
Hi Sanjitha, thanks for the comments, you have made some very good points about the benefits of online gaming. But in this aspect I was talking about the physical side of things and not the mental side of things. Your references towards Nintendo Wii and the Xbox Kinect are true in every way. The manufacturers of these two consoles are making huge amounts of effort in trying to tackle this problem as we move into a somewhat health conscious generation.
ReplyDeleteHi Julianwoj, thanks for the comments much appreciated. Although, in life we say that there should always be a balance in everything we do, actually taking that step out to make sure we are doing the right things, in order to make this balance is one of the hardest things to do especially in a child’s life. The signs are not always clear as to when health is deteriorating, and weight gain is a gradual process and a very easy trap to get caught in. But, as stated above there are various educational benefits of gaming and online gaming which offers a positive side to online gaming and your point on exercise is very valid.
ReplyDeleteHi Navsk, Thanks for the comments, some very good points were illustrated by you. It is definitely difficult for children to get off the couch because of all the different entertain media which surrounds them. I honestly think people should arrange a scheduled time for playing games and a scheduled time to do exercise. I think this would be a good way to balance the enjoyment factor of playing online games without putting your health at risk.
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