Video gaming is a form of entertainment that has been enjoyed by people of all ages for decades. The evolution of video games has been astounding as the level of interaction between the player and the games has become more concise. This progression of game and console development has come at a price. For years, video games have been accused of influencing obesity and violence among children.
The debate of weather or not video games influences violence among children has been ongoing. The American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry claims that video games do promote violence among the youth, saying that:
"Studies of children exposed to violence have shown that they can become: “immune” or numb to the horror of violence, imitate the violence they see, and show more aggressive behavior with greater exposure to violence. Some children accept violence as a way to handle problems. Studies have also shown that the more realistic and repeated the exposure to violence, the greater the impact on children."
Michael Gallagher of the Entertainment Software Association counters that quote by saying that the claims of video games influencing violence among children is a myth which has been undermined by scientific research. He also goes on to say that despite the fact that video game popularity has soared in recent years, violence among youth has declined. This claim coming from FBI statistics.
The issue of child obesity has become more serious since the turn of the 21st century, and video games have in fact been a contributor. Kids spend more time playing video games then playing outside, which poses a health risk for children. This claim is not argued with, it can be agreed that physical inactivity leads to obesity. A study recorded at the University of Texas showed that children who regularly played video games were more likely to be overweight then children who did not play video games on a daily basis.
There are also some positive effects on the youth that can be seen. For instance, innovations such as Nintendo Wii and the popular game Dance Dance Revolution allow gamers to physically participate in the games that they're playing. Also, educational video games are constantly being release that do not expose the young to violence. Weather or not these children are exposed to such games not only rests on the shoulders of the gamers but their parents as well.