Study Finds US MMOers in Better then Average Shape [General News]

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A study by the University of Southern California, the Palo Alto Research Center, and the University of Delaware have found that EQ2 players specifically, are in better shape then the average American!

The results suggest that adult gamers have an average body mass index of 25.2, compared to the overall American average of 28. The average gamer also engages in vigorous exercise once or twice a week, which the researchers say is more than most Americans. The reasons for this are not obvious, although the team suggest it may be because more educated, wealthier people are attracted to computer games, and these people also tend to take better care of their health.

"Average gamers engage in vigorous exercise once or twice a week"
The downside, however, was that the gamers reported more cases of depression and substance abuse than their compatriots. "They may be drawn to use the game to help deal with emotional distress," says team member Scott Caplan of the University of Delaware.

Since the study focused only on EQ2 players, there's no way of knowing how broadly the findings represent the rest of the MMO community.



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