To Your Health
July, 2015 (Vol. 09, Issue 07) |
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Video Games: Bad to the Bone(s)
By Editorial Staff
No one's saying video games or video-game playing is inherently bad, although it's easy to speculate that the more time you spend on the couch glued to your TV or tablet / smartphone, the less time you'll have to participate in more productive endeavors – not the least of which is physical activity. However, a recent study suggests playing video games for longer durations is associated with reduced
bone mineral density (BMD) compared to playing less. Specifically, the study found that adolescents who spent more time playing video games had lower total bone mineral density, as well as BMD of the spine, trunk, pelvis and lower legs, compared to adolescents who spent less time playing video games.
These findings are important in that bone mineral density is an indirect indicator of osteoporosis and fracture risk. The lower your BMD, the higher your risk of those conditions occurring. Talk to your doctor to learn more about BMD, other risk factors for low BMD and related health conditions, and what you can do to ensure you preserve bone mineral density for a lifetime.
