Video games may make children fat

Children put up been gaining weight excessively everywhere the last 20 years. In 1980 6.5% of the youngsterren aged 6 to 11 were obese, solely by 1994 that number had climbed to 11.3%. Currently over 30% of small fryren are overweight, while 17% are considered obese (Parker-Pope, 2008). What has caused this epidemic like profit in child obe sit downy? There are many proposed causes that have been linked to child obesity. However, if we examine childrens lifestyles over the last 25 years it appears that pic punts may be the primary contributing factor to the development in weight and obesity rates amongst childrenWhen moving picture games were first introduced to family households they were considered just another form of fun for children, not unlike radios, record players, or television sets. However, video games have evolved into media traps that promote sedentary lifestyles. Children now sit glued for hours to video blinds rather than performing somatogenetic activities . In a study researchers from the University Hospital of Zurich dedicate a strong association between playing video games and obesity in discipline-aged Swiss children (Edell, 2004). Their research supported the notion that when children are preoccupied with playing video games, they are not performing physical activity consistent with a healthy lifestyle. Playing video games is a sedentary activity that has a direct affect on weight gain in children. virtually believe that video games have little impact on child obesity rates because children today are more cognisant and independent than previous generations. As a result, children are more conscious of their lives and are able to begin healthy choices regarding exercise and video game playing. However, video games have developed from simple pixels and basic liveness to the advanced life like games we see today. The advances in technology have do it rugged for children to get away from video games, and around researchers b elieve it has psychological and addictive qualities.These powerful qualities make it difficult for children to monitor lizard the amount of time they spend playing video games. In addition, children may also find it difficult to pull themselves away from video games in exchange for healthier physical activities. Dr. Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University, an expert on video game addiction, believes that the games of the 21st century may be more psychologically rewarding whence the games of the early 1980s (BBC news, 2000). Subsequently, children may not feel fulfilled until they reach the next level of the game, or beat a high score.The addictive qualities of video games were revealed in a recent study of children in their early teens. The study revealed that one third played video games daily, and 7% played for at least(prenominal) 30 hours a week (BBC news, 2000). Video games are able to capture childrens minds and start the pass to poor health at extremely young ages. Dr. Griffiths suggests that children as early as the age of septet are drawn to video games. The strong addictive qualities of video games may prevent a child from exercising and being active even if they wanted to.It may be easy to argue that the television is the culprit for overweight children. However, televisions have been in North American households for over 65 years, but the increase in child obesity has occurred within the previous 25 years. Televisions have remained relatively unchanged, but the video game has mutated into an active child magnet. Children are able to play on line, play with multiple players, and interact with gamers globally. Todays video games are also portable, recordable, and are easily rented. In addition, video game advertising is focused at luring and capturing a childs impressionable mind. Some studies corroborate the findings that video games, not television, are associated with overweight children. Researchers at the University of Texas surveyed al more or less 3000 children and found that children who played video games were more likely to be overweight than children who only watched television and didnt play video games (Levin, 2004). Although, televisions have made some technological advancements it appears the attraction to video games may have lead to the weight increase in children.It was not long ago when childrens laughter echoed from playgrounds and the announcement of car was heard from children racing to clear hockey nets from neighbourhood streets. Rather than playing on the streets and schoolyards children now lock themselves indoors playing video games. Some suggest that it is the lack of programs and green space that prevent children from being active. However, physical fitness, health, and sport have neer been so accessible. Private enterprise and governments have joined forces realizing the importance of moving children from behind the video screen to the field.In addition, building developers work with city planners to ensure that housing designs represent communities with playgrounds and schools rather than concrete mazes. An fantabulous example of the private sector promoting fitness rather than video gaming is the Canadian Tire vamoose Start Initiative (City of Hamilton, 2005). This private program, like many others, encourages fitness by providing children and youth with access to sports and recreation. In addition, government programs such as the provincially funded Communities in Action Fund provide after school programs and sport clinics to youth. The possibility of physical activity is all around us, but video games have made it difficult for children to see outside their locked doors.Of course, it may be easy to blame the fast nutrient exertion for the weight increase in children. Fast food restaurants have been in our communities prior to the 1950s, while the most recognizable fast food restaurant, McDonalds, has been in business since 1960. However, the weight incre ase appears to be steadily increase within the previous 25 years consistent with the introduction of video games rather than hamburgers. Interestingly, fast food restaurants have gone through enormous strides to provide healthy fare alternatives such as soups, salads, melt down sandwiches, fruits, and juices. Burger King for example, offers products for children that are consistent with healthy dietary choices, limiting calories, fats, and sugar in their childrens menu (Bissonnette, 2007). Blaming the restaurant industry for the weight increase may appear obvious, but upon a closer surveillance it seems restaurants have done more to promote healthy weight in children than the video game industry. close of the research measures any correlation between increases in video game playing compared to increases in weight. What would die if video game playing was reduced? Recent research at the University of Buffalo measured the personal effects of limiting video game playing (University of Buffalo, 2008). The university experiment was conducted over a 2 year dot and revealed that when children restricted their video game playing by an average of 17.5 hours per week they lowered their body atomic pile index significantly. In other words, they lost weight.In summary, this topic will initiate many theories and possibilities, but there is no arguing that childrens weights have been steadily increasing over the last 20 years. When we examine childrens lifestyles and habits it appears video games may be the primary contributing factor for the weight increase. course credithttp//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1036088.stmhttp//www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60891.htmlhttp//www.buffalo.edu/news/9197