Study: Average Gamer is 35, Overweight and May Be Depressed

Video games are often an activity associated with the young, but a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paint quite a different picture. Researchers found that the average gamer is age 35, often overweight, introverted, and may be depressed.

The CDC looked at the behavior of 552 adults aged 19 to 90 from the Seattle-Tacoma area. Of these, 249 (45 percent) were video game players. Men accounted for 56 percent of the video game players.

Men who played video games weighed more and used the internet more than other men. Women who played video games reported greater levels of depression and poorer overall heath than non-gamers. Adult video gamers were also found to be less outgoing, and less social and assertive than non-gamers.

Researcher James Weaver and his colleagues suggested that for adults, video gaming may be a form of "digital self-medication". They said women in particulary may immerse themselves in brain-engaging digital environments as a means of self-distraction.

Adult gamers of both sexes relied more on the internet for social support than non-gamers. This also supports prior research that suggests that adult gamers may "sacrifice real-world social activities to play video games."

The findings of this study were consistent with prior research of adolescent video gamers which tied video game playing to sedentary habits, weight issues and mental health concerns.

In conclusion, the researchers believe that there are "measurable" associations between playing video games and health risks. The researchers reported that as hypothesized, a higher body weight and greater number of "poor mental health days" differentiated adult video gamers from non-gamers.

The study was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.