Gaming Under 10 Hours a Week? Your Health Is Fine

Here's relief for millions of gamers and their worried parents: moderate gaming appears perfectly fine for your health.

Researchers at Curtin University studied 317 university students across Australia and discovered a clear boundary. Students who played video games for up to 10 hours each week showed the same healthy eating patterns, sleep quality, and body weight as those who barely gamed at all.

The difference only appeared when gaming crossed that 10-hour weekly mark. Students playing more than 10 hours weekly had lower diet quality, disrupted sleep, and higher body mass indexes compared to lighter gamers.

Professor Mario Siervo from Curtin's School of Population Health emphasized what the data really shows. "What stood out was students gaming up to 10 hours a week all looked very similar in terms of diet, sleep and body weight," he said.

The numbers tell a reassuring story for moderate players. Students gaming under 10 hours weekly maintained healthy median BMIs between 22.2 and 22.8. Those in the heavy gaming group had a median BMI of 26.3, crossing into the overweight category.

Sleep quality dipped as gaming hours increased, though all groups reported some sleep challenges. Each additional hour beyond 10 weekly showed connections to declining diet quality, even after researchers accounted for stress and physical activity levels.

The Bright Side

This research offers a practical roadmap rather than a scary warning. The message isn't "stop gaming" but rather "find balance." Moderate gaming fits comfortably into a healthy lifestyle for young adults.

Professor Siervo points out that university habits often stick with people for life. Simple changes like taking gaming breaks, avoiding late-night sessions, and keeping healthy snacks nearby can protect wellbeing without giving up the hobby entirely.

The study gives families and gamers themselves a clear guideline: 10 hours or less per week keeps gaming in the fun zone without crowding out the healthy habits that matter.