Seems we got our stereotypes a little wrong.
In a study involving 7,000 players of the MMO Everquest II, researchers have concluded that gamers, long derided as overweight and lazy, are actually a bit more physically fit than the average American.
Participants were asked a battery of questions related to their physical and mental health. The results suggest that gamers have an average BMI of 25.2, as opposed to the American average of 28. And the bad news? Gamers were more like to report instances of depression, and an affinity for real-world power-ups.
Fortunately, the New Scientist article acknowledges that the report focuses on a single MMO, and its results may not hold true once console gamers are considered. And: Everquest II? Wouldn't World of Warcraft have been a better choice?
Online gamers are fit – physically if not mentally [New Scientist]
Image Courtesy Sony Online Entertainment
