Online gamers aren't overweight, just depressed junkies, study suggests

by James Ransom-Wiley on Sep 18th 2008 8:15PM

Well, that's a relief. No longer to be demonized as "fat people," online gamers may now be considered "actually, kinda cool." In other words, they're moody drug addicts, indicates a new study that targeted 7,000 EverQuest II players. "The results suggest that adult gamers have an average body mass index of 25.2, compared to the overall American average of 28," reports New Science Tech. "The downside, however, was that the gamers reported more cases of depression and substance abuse than their compatriots."

In fact, participants' addictive personalities were clearly exposed when they greedily exchanged their responses for the study's bait: "The Greatstaff of the Sun Serpent." Admittedly, using a sun staff as incentive was a dirty play, as if there was any chance of brightening up these rain clouds.

[Via /.]

Source

Tags: body-mass-index, depression, everquest-2, Mac, PC, substance-abuse

Reader Comments (68)

Not overweight. I use to be a hardcore drug addict in college. Now, I have years of sobriety under my belt and a very successful career. Never played Ever Quest though.

You'd have to be on drugs to play EverGrind II.

So, wait, are you trying to tell us that there are still 7,000 people playing Everquest II? Fascinating.

http://revver.com/video/415156/ventrilo-harassment-world-of-warcraft-nerd-3/

"compared to the overall American average"

Spot the key word in that sentence.

Truly...Most of the gamers or a online community can be described as depressive. Although I do not know anyone personally or to make any thrusts...But Alot seem to display themselves that way.

I don't know, Joystiq is an online community of gamers and I've never thought of the people who create and inhabit it as depressive.

that's because joystiq is the only reason we have left for getting up in the morning...the rest of the day is full if nothing but sadness

Like I said...I would not know (Or entirely except) the statistics or lifestyles of other gamers or Joystiq ..but most just show others depressive or intimate knowledge of their lives.

I had depression problems a few years ago, but I was not an MMO fan at all. I did play alotta online shooters though, and some Neverwinter Nights modules.

I don't get enough exercise, that's for sure. I wish there was some kinda Wii Fit-style Jogging mini-game attached to MMO games, so that you had to jog in place (or on a treadmill) in order to move your character in the game world. I'm pretty sure I heard some company doing this years ago..

Apparently you haven't read this article...

http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/09/16/15-minutes-of-fame-lean-and-mean-with-wow/

That seems cool but from what i gathered, the treadmill is constantly going, even if your character is not going anywhere.

In Wii Fit's jogging game, it moves when you move.

I just want to be depressed... Let me be...

Do agility orbs count as substance abuse?

When did we start allowing people to "Zing" themselves. That's someone else's call.

Isn't the real story here that 7,000 people are still playing EQ? I was depressed in 2002 as well, WHEN I PLAYED EVERQUEST.