Video game playing increases food intake in adolescents: a randomized crossover study

Abstract

Background: Video game playing has been linked to obesity in many observational studies. However, the influence of this sedentary activity on food intake is unknown. Objective: The objective was to examine the acute effects of sedentary video game play on various components of energy balance. Design: With the use of a randomized crossover design, 22 healthy, normal-weight, male adolescents (mean 6 SD age: 16.7 6 1.1 y) completed two 1-h experimental conditions, namely video game play and rest in a sitting position, followed by an ad libitum lunch. The endpoints were spontaneous food intake, energy expenditure, stress markers, appetite sensations, and profiles of appetite-related hormones. Results: Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, sympathetic tone, and mental workload were significantly higher during the video game play condition than during the resting condition (P , 0.05). Although energy expenditure was significantly higher during video game play than during rest (mean increase over resting: 89 kJ; P , 0.01), ad libitum energy intake after video game play exceeded that measured after rest by 335 kJ (P , 0.05). A daily energy surplus of 682 kJ (163 kcal) over resting (P , 0.01) was observed in the video game play condition. The increase in food intake associated with video game play was observed without increased sensations of hunger and was not compensated for during the rest of the day. Finally, the profiles of glucose, insulin, cortisol, and ghrelin did not suggest an up-regulation of appetite during the video game play condition. Conclusion: A single session of video game play in healthy male adolescents is associated with an increased food intake, regardless of appetite sensations. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01013246.

Adiposity and Different Types of Screen Time

“…20 Similarly, in a trial among adolescent boys, ad libitum energy intake after video game play was greater compared with sitting at rest and was not compensated for later in the day. 43 Exposure to food marketing through "advergames" (games developed to advertise a product) or product placement within games may partially explain influences on intake. In a recent trial, children playing advergames containing food cues consumed more energy during a subsequent snack than children playing advergames with nonfood products.…”

Plasma Cortisol Response to Asked Questions on Recent Eventsduring Videogame Playin Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…However, plasma cortisol levels in the 10 children with ASD were not significantly increased in the above described test setting. Video game playing increased sympathetic tone, mental workload, and energy expenditure, however, did not suggest up-regulation of serum cortisol levels [16]. The violent and non-violent TV videogame did not induce significant differences in salivary cortisol levels before and after gaming [17].…”

“…Videogame effects are complex and would be better understood as multiple dimensions rather than a simplistic "good-bad" dichotomy [15]. Video game playdid not increase up-regulation of salivary serum [16] or salivary [17] cortisol levels. Moreover, casual videogame decreased physiological stress responses [18].Videogame play may thus not increase plasma or salivary cortisol levels, or decrease physiological stress responses.…”

The untapped potential of the gaming community: A narrative review. (Preprint)

“…A randomised cross-over study found that despite increased levels of energy expenditure while playing video games (mean energy increase compared to rest state = 89kJ) this was counteracted by higher levels of energy intake after playing video games, resulting in an energy surplus of 335kJ compared to those who rested for the same period of time [22].…”