As a both a health conscious mother & a professional in the - TopicsExpress

As a both a health conscious mother & a professional in the fitness industry I am hugely concerned by the seemingly increasing dependency on video games- especially in childhood & adolescents. Excessive use of video games may have some or all of the symptoms of drug addiction or other proposed psychological addictions. Some players become more concerned with their interactions in the game than in their broader lives. Players may play many hours per day, neglect personal hygiene, gain or lose significant weight due to playing, disrupt sleep patterns to play resulting in sleep deprivation, play at work, avoid phone calls from friends, or lie about how much time they spend playing video games. They also lack social skills & often have anger issues. In one extreme instance, it was reported that a seventeen-year-old American boy would play for periods of up to 15 hours, skipping meals and only stopping when he blacked out. 2hrs is the maximum screen time considered appropriate for 5 to 16 yr olds, with 5.9hrs being the actual average (although most I know are on them for much much longer than even that :-/). Video game addiction is a very serious & real issue- now more than ever. I know its school holidays, but there is a big wide world out there to explore & learn about. Get your child away from the screens & get them moving! Xxx