Science Says Gamers are Fat, Depressed Losers

[FightThePower]

Correlation does not imply causation.

And to the people saying "but I'm not fat and depressed!", I say "probabilistic reasoning".

 

[DanielO]

It's true that if there's a correlation between certain diseases/psychological phenomena and a certain type of lifestyle, then one could say that said lifestyle is a risk factor for the diseases and phenomena. But to go as far as to say that gaming should be prohibited as a form of preventive medicine, that's one bridge too far sir.

Men are a higher risk group for heart disease, car crashes, gun fights, crime, alcoholism, any kind of addiction. No matter how you twist or turn it, you're never going to get people as far as to accept the idea that mankind would actually be better off without men. (Except for all the women present)

Similarly, the only potent risk factor for breast cancer is the female gender. Should we start a political debate about that?

Preventive medicine has its obvious flaws, and these studies shouldn't be misinterpreted, overinterpreted or given too much credit. It's merely facts they try to bring out. Facts don't mix with opinions, at least they shouldn't in a well-performed study.

 

[jericu]

Does anyone else notice that only 500 people were studied? That doesn't exactly seem like a large enough group for a conclusive study to me.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Oh my God, this article has changed my view on life. I'll never touch a game again and live healthily forever. [/sarcasm]

I all seriousness, we all know of that. But not all gamers are that way. We don't need a generalization. And even if I wasn't a gamer, I'd still be as unhealthy as I am now.

 

[ohgodalex]

Go on gaming forums and you get lots of miserable persecuted people complaining that games that make them think or learn new skills to win are terrible. I'm glad that science has noticed this problem and is thinking of ways to help. I recommend experimental chemical compounds in the water supply.

That was all sorts of awesome. I don't think I should bother posting, since whatever I might write will never be as amazing as this.

 

[bowserboy26578]

hold it one second,
perfect BMI, joyous attitude when i'm not playing mario hacks, last time i checked biased scientists can come up with any result any way. That's what the American government does, they want video games gone. It doesn't support us, because a gamers know
VIDEO GAMES COME FROM JAPAN! If the tests the scientists did said anything otherwise, the results would never have been released until it said something differant. jerks...

 

[EgoDeusEst]

Ah bullshit I am impervious in your attempts to burn my retinas anymore.

I know I'm not the absolute picturesque of 20 year old Female health. But I'm far from miserable, or fat.
Pathetic study.

Once again the factor of 'How much' and 'What else' has been casually over looked to churn out a number to satisfy the nagging grannies and grandpas of the world. Sad.

Perhaps you don't fit the exact terms that the study concluded.
The study just sums up the general findings. As for the findings themselves I fit none of them. Not anymore at least.
Spending money to come up with this conclusion was a waste.

As for your own assumption that grandparents are just waiting for something to shake their fists at... Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that
Someone will always stick out

 

[Ben Legend]

And scientists are fu..... no Ben, your better than this.

I've got to disagree to be honest, i'm not fat... i'm not depressed... actually really enjoying my life at the moment. Loser? How can I be a loser with friends and a GF...loser's have neither of these.

Maybe I'm just the exception to the rule

 

[samsonguy920]

This kind of science is like reaching into your own refrigerator...you are going to get what you expect, because that is what you are looking for. There are no true findings in any of these studies to relate with the real world.
Does reduce my faith in the CDC though, and that makes me sad.

 

[samsonguy920]

I can't help but think this research is somehow advocating LARPing.

.........Dear GOD NO!
Course that would get my exercise level up. Chasing larpers through the woods with a paintball gun.

But then we would get a BS study about how LARP disconnects people from reality.

Will you be screaming, "Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!" with each shot? Laughing maniacally? Because I would pay to watch that, a lot. And laugh, a lot.

 

[Valkyira]

Thats pretty much spot on

 

[cyber_andyy]

The media is going to love this.

 

[mattttherman3]

I may be fat, and I may be socially handicapped, but I am not depressed! They make medication for that.

 

[Gerazzi]

They have depressed right, but I am neither fat nor a loner.
Also, they put in mental health.
So this study will be linked with any criminal who owns any videogame.

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

I'm not fat.

Me: 1
Science: 0

 

[CatinHat]

"examined 500 adults aged 19-90, looking at health risks..."

O rly... so 70-90 years old's are not "self-assessments of depression, personality, health status, physical and mental health, body mass index (BMI), and poor quality of life." to start out with?

any ways you can make stats say want you want like 2 out every 3 doc's say "buy this drug"

 

[Hawk of Battle]

What the fuck is a "Play like activity"????? Seriously, they're just making shit up to sound intelligent now.

Btw I'm the skinniest fucker in north wales who hasn't gained any weight since starting highschool despite eating 3 kitkat chunkies a day, then eating a mars and a twix a day since leaving highschool and starting work at 16. I am now 21 and still 9 stone. I have plenty of good friends despite the fact that I was always introverted anyway, and beceome highly extroverted and sociable while intoxicated during social gatherings (an event which occurs quite frequently). I have played games since I was about 7. I am not depressed.

Theory destroyed, science!

 

[antipunt]

Specifically with this article, science is proving a 'correlation', not a causation.

In other words, this statistic can be due to many reasons. For example, it's likely that 'people who don't like exercise' can easily fall into the 'gamer-category' (due to its sedentary nature). Or...maybe it's likely that a depressed-individual will find solace playing a game, like, the Sims.

But really, these are all just 'correlations'. It doesn't, at all, say that "playing games increases the chance of you being a fat, depressed loser". It just says a proportion of them are.

 

[Playbahnosh]

The only way to reply to this is to quote Big Bang Theory, but I forgo that for now...

On the other hand, I tend to agree with the majority of the people here. Gamers are not depressed, fat guys because they are gamers, they are gamers because they are fat and depressed.

Hey, I'm a fat guy, and I used to be depressed, but ever since I joined the webzine I write for for three years now, I'm quite happy playing and reviewing games. Sure, I'm still fat, but who cares?

I had a choice: either become a "normal" person, lose weight, do sports regularly and eat healthy foods or become a video game reviewer, do what I like for a living and have fun. The choice was obvious...at least for me. So, what if I die sooner? No one lives forever (pun!), and at least I die being happy