Avoid gaming, try new activities for children

New research has suggested that kids need to try value for money activities other than gaming.

The study, which is published in the American Journal of Paediatrics, suggested that children can become addicted to video games and their anxiety and depression levels can also be affected.

Over two years more than 3,000 kids in Singapore were observed, with nine per cent of players being found to be "addicted" to the games in terms of them affecting their emotions, relationships and grades.

Researchers also found that children displayed fewer depressive symptoms when troublesome gaming habits were reduced.

"When they [the kids] dropped below the pathological line [for gaming addiction] their depression decreased, their anxiety decreased, their social phobia decreased," Douglas Gentile, the lead author of the study, said.

However, others, such as the Entertainment Software Association, have cast doubt on the findings, calling the results "questionable".

Despite this, it is still important for children to take part in a range of activities to combat obesity, according to fitness and obesity consultant Elaine Sawetz.

Posted by Clara Gasper

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