Video Games Make People Fat and Mean

dblh3l1x writes "Reuters is reporting that a Swedish group finds 'Video games can make children fat and, in the case of violent games popular among teenage and younger boys, aggressive and even criminal.' These articles make me want to hurt someone. If I didn't get out of breath so easily, I'd go hurt someone right now, so instead I'm just going to go play the Unreal Tournament 2004 demo again."

Comments

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

[hey!]

Actually video games attract people who are fat and mean.

Fit mean people beat other up in the real world.

Re:Post hoc ergo propter hoc

[hey!]

My original post was a joke, but let me make an observation relative to your point: it may actually be true that video games attract kids that don't like physical activity, but that's not the whole story. You have to consider that for many people they are not particularly self limiting activities, and can crowd out other activities such as exercise or eating. Either way its not good when taken to extreme.

I'm a long time martial artist. Real world fighting is self limiting, because you get tired and hurt. Virtual fighthing gives some of the same stimulation but without the pain and fatigue. This stimulation is important because it counteracts fatigue and lets you go longer.

Very few activities are less self-limiting than video games. Even reading is self-limiting because it doesn't give you the physical stimulation gaming does, so you get tired. That said, I've often spent too much time with a really book and had it cut into my sleeping and other activity time. But eventualy you finish the book; video games can be played over and over again without repeating exactly.

For that reason, I would say that for some people games are likely to distort the healthy balance of activities that includes exercise, sleep and socialization. It doesn't really matter for those people whether they are fat because of inactivity or thin because they don't eat.

Funny, I thought calories made people fat

[wowbagger]

Funny, I thought that calories made people fat.

So, if I stop eating but play lots of video games I will gain weight?

I really hope that horribly bad statement was the reporter paraphasing (badly) the studies, rather than the conclusion the researchers came up with.

Re:right on!!!

[bigman2003]

Videogames can be a catharsis for a lot of kids. Teenage boys just NATURALLY have a lot of anger, and frustration. Videogames can be an outlet for that.

The woman who leads a group of mothers against videogames doesn't understand that these kids need an outlet. Masturbation will only take these boys so far, and they need some way to get out their anger, frustration, and desire to set things on fire.

Give them a good game, and a magazine to spank to- and a few hours later he'll come out of his room calm, and ready to cooperate.

Actually...I'm serious...

This just in: people are affected by stuff

[lightspawn]

and with all the amount of stuff, and all the people, you can find anecdotal evidence to support most any theory. It's a good thing these people are, you know, experts, or I'd be inclined to distrust their opinions.

The article itself states that the documentary "was followed by a panel debate, which concluded that scientific findings of the effects, if any, of violent video games were scant."

So it's just some "experts" seeding panic for personal fame and fortune.

While we're all here, I would like to use this opportunity to link to a little snippet from ebay on my own site, which proves beyond any doubt that games are, indeed, corrupting today's youth.

Popular Press Article vs. Reality...

[Undefined Parameter]

Ok....

Plays computer games? Check.
Fat? According to the insurance industry... check.
Mean? Not according to what I've been told.

That's me.

Plays computer games? Check.
Fat? No check.
Mean? No check.

That's my best friend.

Plays computer games? No check.
Fat? No check.
Mean? Check.

That's [pick one: Timothy McVeigh, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Ashcroft, Andrea Yates, Ted Bundy, all of the above].

It's rather obvious that the "researchers" and the author are taking correlation for causation at the least; more likely, they've dredged up the findings they want and have published them as scientifically accurate.

Meanwhile, the studies which have said that video games can actually be beneficial are buried.

~UP

Re:right on!!!

[bigman2003]

Have you ever tried NOT jerking off?

First of all- it's really tough. Second of all, about 30 minutes after I decide not to jerk off anymore, I am wildly horny.

After a few days (if it ever gets that far) my dog starts to look really, really good.

I don't think I've ever gone beyond a few days. If for no other reason...why put myself through it?

So yes- I really do think masturbation is a catharsis.

Okay, here is the standard flimsy statement where I try to get you to believe I am not a total loser...but since nobody knows me, no point in really trying:

Yes, I have intercourse with a female on a very regular basis. I still masturbate, because I enjoy it.

And to stay on-topic...Umm...videogames don't make people violent- violent people make videogames.