Gaming More May Mean Living Less

Credit: Adobe Stock/Svyatoslav Lypynskyy

College students who spent more than 10 hours a week gaming had poorer diets, higher body mass index (BMI) and worse sleep than those who played less, according to research published in Nutrition.

“Because university habits often follow people into adulthood, healthier routines such as taking breaks from gaming, avoiding playing games late at night and choosing healthier snacks may help improve their overall well-being,” said Professor Mario Siervo, M.Sc., Ph.D., from the Curtin School of Population Health.

Video gaming is a major part of college life for many students, with an estimated 92% of Australian households engaging in some kind of video gaming activities, but new research suggests that how much time students spend gaming may be linked to their overall health.

In this study, a team of investigators surveyed more than 300 university students in Australia to better understand how gaming habits relate to diet, physical activity, sleep, stress and body weight.

Students were grouped based on how many hours per week they played video games: low gamers (0-5 hours), moderate gamers (6-10 hours) and high gamers (more than 10 hours per week). Investigators then compared health behaviors and outcomes across these groups.

The findings showed clear differences. Students who gamed more than 10 hours per week tended to eat less nutritious diets, with fewer healthy foods overall, compared with those who played less. High-frequency gamers also had higher BMI, meaning they were more likely to fall into the overweight range. In addition, they reported poorer sleep quality, which can affect mood, focus and long-term health.

“What stood out was students gaming up to 10 hours a week all looked very similar in terms of diet, sleep and body weight,” noted Siervo. “The real differences emerged in those gaming more than 10 hours a week, who showed clear divergence from the rest of the sample.”

The study also found that more gaming time was linked to lower levels of physical activity, suggesting that extended gaming may replace time that could otherwise be spent moving or exercising. Even after accounting for factors like age, gender and lifestyle habits, gaming time itself still predicted poorer diet quality, meaning the association wasn’t explained by other behaviors alone.

Importantly, this study does not suggest that gaming is inherently bad or that students need to stop gaming altogether. Instead, the findings highlight that excessive gaming may come with health trade-offs, especially when it crowds out sleep, movement or regular meals. Investigators say these results point to a need for health education and campus programs that promote balance, helping students enjoy gaming while also supporting healthy eating, physical activity and rest.

What This Research Means for You

• More gaming time may mean fewer healthy habits like cooking nutritious meals, staying active and getting enough sleep.
• Students who gamed the most had higher body weight and poorer diet quality, suggesting lifestyle patterns may shift with longer screen time.
• Sleep quality matters. Late-night gaming could contribute to feeling tired, stressed or unfocused during the day.
• Balance is the goal, not quitting gaming. Moderation can help protect your health while still enjoying your favorite games.
• Small changes add up, like taking movement breaks, setting time limits and planning regular meals.

“This study doesn’t prove gaming causes these issues, but it shows a clear pattern that excessive gaming may be linked to an increase in health risk factors,” explained Siervo. “Our data suggest low and moderate gaming is generally fine, but excessive gaming may crowd out healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, sleeping properly and staying active.”