From Your Health Journal…..”I wanted to share and promote a very interesting article I found recently written by Rob Lever in Asia One Science & Tech. We have discussed here often the sedentary lifestyles of children, especially those immersed in technology – whether video games, computers, IPads, cell phone, and other sophisticated devices. Obesity rates are on the rise along with illness associated with it such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer, asthma, weak joints, and weaker immune systems. Often, many experts get asked about whether some of those exercise video games are beneficial or hurtful to children. Even as video games come under scrutiny for potential harmful impacts, researchers and developers are touting digital games for positive effects on health, learning and other social goals. The immerse power of games is being used to encourage kids to develop healthy eating, help seniors maintain brain functions and even to tackle problems like poverty and climate change. I encourage you all to visit the Asia One Science & Tech web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It was well written and interesting.”
From the article…..
Videogame power harnessed for positive goals
Even as videogames come under scrutiny for potential harmful impacts, researchers and developers are touting digital games for positive effects on health, learning and other social goals.
The immersive power of games is being used to encourage kids to develop healthy eating, help seniors maintain brain functions and even to tackle problems like poverty and climate change.
Most Americans in a recent Harris online survey said they see a link between videogames and violent behavior.
And Vice President Joe Biden, who convened a White House meeting after the Sandy Hook school massacre that saw a man gun down 20 children and six adults before taking his own life, has said more research is needed on how games affect users.
But many researchers say there is little evidence that playing games can cause users to become violent, and point to numerous positive impacts.
“Games can have a positive impact, particularly with psychological functions,” said Jason Allaire of North Carolina State University’s Gains Through Gaming Lab.
“We focus on cognition and learning, trying to understand the exact mechanisms, such as the impact on reaction time and memory.”
Allaire led a recent study that found seniors who played digital games showed higher levels of emotional well-being than non-players.
Although the research did not offer a clear cause and effect, Allaire expressed confidence that the research would eventually find such a relationship.
Digital games “get a bad rap because often they are played to excess” but blaming games for societal ills is “simplistic,” Allaire said.
Still, he said researchers are reviewing their thinking following a spate of shootings.
“If I say as a scientist I think games can have a positive effect, it would be hypocritical to say that they cannot have a negative impact,” Allaire said.
To read the complete article…..Click here