The British government says that they can. A recent advertisement from the Department of Health depicts a child holding a PlayStation controller with the text "Risk an early death" written in bold above the image. This kind of shock imagery is usually reserved for real threats like heroin addiction and driving without your seat belt on, but evidently video games have now joined those things among the greatest dangers to British youth. According to the creators of this ad campaign, it is meant to inform the public about the importance of exercise for children. Many recent studies showing that video game players have above average health.

The POSITIVE about gaming...

Let’s start with how video games have positive effects on your health.

The strangest of the positive effects of video games can be seen in the healthcare sector. People (especially youngsters) who are undergoing painful treatment for ailments like cancer can use video games to distract themselves from the pain for extended periods.

Video games have positive psychological effects as well. Certain games that are used as part of a comprehensive program can further help autistic children and other children with developmental disorders.

Studies have also shown that playing video games can improve mental faculties, such as hand-eye coordination. More intelligent games such as strategy and puzzle games can also improve problem solving, and provide intellectual stimulation as well.

The NEGATIVE about gaming...

There is a wide range of reported negative effects of video games on health; however the actual evidence of games directly causing certain negative effects is very weak. Other negative effects are usually due to prolonged excessive play of video games. Parents concerned with the amount of time their children spend on video games should encourage them to balance the time out with other activities. Extremely adverse effects such as hallucinations are very rare and could be caused by other unknown factors.

People who are susceptible to epileptic seizures and photosensitive individuals could experience seizures when they see rapid flickering or rapid screen changes happening in the game. The amount of play doesn’t matter much, as people who are prone to seizures could experience one after even a few minutes of play.

People who live a sedentary lifestyle (poor exercise, rather inactive) and do mostly sitting activities such as playing video games usually suffer from some sort of ailment later on in life, such as heart and muscle problems and obesity. This is usually combined with a poor diet, such as genetically-modified foods and junk food.

There is also research that suggests that there is a link between violent games and increased aggression, however the research is rather limited and usually does not take other variables into account such as upbringing and environmental conditions.

Conclusion