Video games are often an activity associated with the young, but a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paint quite a different picture. Researchers found that the average gamer is age 35, often overweight, introverted, and may be depressed.

    The CDC looked at the behavior of 552 adults aged 19 to 90 from the Seattle-Tacoma area. Of these, 249 （45 percent） were video game players. Men accounted for 56 percent of the video game players.

    Men who played video games weighed more and used the internet more than other men. Women who played video games reported greater levels of depression and poorer overall heath than non-gamers. Adult video gamers were also found to be less outgoing, and less social and assertive than non-gamers.

    Researcher James Weaver and his colleagues suggested that for adults, video gaming may be a form of "digital self-medication". They said women in particulary may immerse themselves in brain-engaging digital environments as a means of self-distraction.

    Adult gamers of both sexes relied more on the internet for social support than non-gamers. This also supports prior research that suggests that adult gamers may "sacrifice real-world social activities to play video games."

    The findings of this study were consistent with prior research of adolescent video gamers which tied video game playing to sedentary habits, weight issues and mental health concerns.

    In conclusion, the researchers believe that there are "measurable" associations between playing video games and health risks. The researchers reported that as hypothesized, a higher body weight and greater number of "poor mental health days" differentiated adult video gamers from non-gamers.

    The study was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

    電腦游戲一般都和年經人有關，但是疾病防控中心的一項最新研究發現，人們的這種看法是錯誤的，研究人員發現電腦游戲愛好者平均年齡35歲，大多數人體態肥胖，性格內向，容易沮喪

    疾病防控中心主要對美國西雅圖-塔科馬地區的552位19到90歲的成人進行調查。552位人中，245位（45%）是電腦游戲愛好者。男人占了總人數的56%.

    研究發現打電腦游戲的男人比不打游戲的人體重重很多而且花在網絡上的時間也比較多。

    打電腦游戲的女人則比不打游戲的女人沮喪抑郁而且身體狀況比較差。同時研究發現打游戲的成年人相比較不打游戲者而言性格不那么隨和，不善于交際，而且思想比較武斷。

    研究人員詹姆斯維沃和它的同事們說道，對成年人來說，計算機游戲是"數碼自我療傷"的一種方式。他們說女人沉迷于電腦游戲是一種自我分心的方式。

    計算機游戲成年人相比較不打游戲者更喜歡依賴于網絡尋求社會幫助。這同時也支持上面的研究"打游戲成年人把生活中的社會活動時間都用于打電腦游戲了。"

    本研究和先前發表的青少年游戲者關于體重問題和精神健康問題的觀點不謀而合。

    最后，研究人員認為打電腦游戲和身體健康狀況之間有可測量的關系。同時研究人員還猜測，明顯體態肥胖，長時間的心理低落將會把打游戲成年人和不打游戲人分別出來。

    本項研究發表于《美國醫學預防雜志》。