A new review suggests that the health effects of gaming are not simply good or bad, showing how stress relief and social connection can coexist with sleep deprivation, disordered eating and decreased activity, depending on how, when and why people play.
Review: A critical appraisal of the association between video games, lifestyle factors, diet and eating behavior: A narrative review. Image credit: Dragon Images / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the journal nutrientsThe authors’ group synthesized existing evidence on how video games influence lifestyle behaviors such as eating, sleep, physical activity, and psychosocial stress, and explained the underlying mechanisms.
Global gaming growth and health concerns
With over 3.3 billion gamers worldwide, video games have become one of the most popular leisure activities, especially among young people. As screen time increases, the question arises whether gaming helps or harms health. Video games involve cognition, emotional responses, and social interactions that can affect daily habits such as sleeping, eating, and physical activity. Some studies report benefits such as stress relief and social connection, while others link gaming to sedentary behavior and poor eating habits. Evidence across the health field remains inconsistent, highlighting the need for further research into the long-term relationships between gaming, lifestyle behaviors, and health outcomes.
Video game review methods and scope
The authors identified relevant literature through targeted PubMed and Google Scholar searches conducted from December 2025 to February 2026, with a focus on publications from 2000 to 2025. Search terms included video games, diet quality, eating behavior, physical activity, sleep, psychosocial stress, and food intake. Only studies published in English were included.
Eligible studies include experimental, longitudinal, and cross-sectional designs using validated outcome measures, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses. To maintain methodological rigor, gray literature, conference abstracts, and non-peer-reviewed sources were excluded.
The authors synthesized evidence across areas such as psychosocial stress, physical activity, sleep quality, eating behavior, and diet quality. They also investigated the biological, psychological, and environmental mechanisms underlying these relationships. As a narrative review, this study proposes a unified theoretical framework that links gaming behavior and health outcomes across populations and settings.
Effects of video games on lifestyle habits
The findings indicate that the relationship between video games and health outcomes is complex, interactive, and context-dependent. Gaming can provide psychological benefits such as reduced stress, improved mood, and social interaction. For some people, gaming provides a cognitive distraction and supports relaxation. However, excessive gaming or prolonged gaming can be a maladaptive coping strategy that avoids underlying stressors and negatively impacts mental health.
Most video games are sedentary and require minimal physical movement, which helps reduce energy expenditure. People who frequently play games may experience less physical activity and feel more tired and sleepy during the day. This reflects the “replacement effect,” in which time that could otherwise be spent on exercise is replaced by games. Active video games (exergaming) can improve fitness, but there are often limits to continued engagement. Health effects may vary depending on age, type of game, motivation, and whether play is casual, social, competitive, or problematic.
Gaming can have a negative impact on your sleep quality, especially if you play it in the evening. Exposure to blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production, while cognitive and emotional stimulation can delay the onset of sleep. Evidence suggests that prolonged nighttime gaming leads to later bedtimes, poorer sleep quality, increased fatigue, and impaired daytime functioning.
Games can also promote “mindless eating,” where attention is taken away from food, resulting in less satiety and increased energy intake. Players may skip meals, eat later, and consume more energy-dense snacks and sugary drinks. Environmental factors, such as easy access to snack foods and in-game food advertising, can further encourage unhealthy eating behaviors.
These behaviors can interact. Lack of sleep can impede decision-making and influence food choices, while decreased physical activity and improper eating can contribute to weight gain. This study employs a biopsychosocial model that integrates biological, psychological, and social factors. This framework highlights how gaming habits and individual characteristics such as age, gender, and motivation collectively impact health. Gaming is also distinguished from general screen time by its cognitive engagement, physiological arousal, and social aspects.
Biopsychosocial conclusions about gaming health
Video games can have both positive and negative effects on health, depending on usage patterns. Although excessive gaming may support stress reduction and social connection, it is associated with sedentary behavior, disrupted sleep, and poor eating habits. These influences are interconnected through biological, psychological, and environmental pathways.
The proposed biopsychosocial model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding these relationships. However, current evidence is limited due to a lack of longitudinal studies and variation in measurement approaches. Future research should consider long-term outcomes and strategies to promote healthier gaming behaviors. Some gaming forms, including Excelgaming, may benefit older adults, highlighting the need for research focused on the nuanced lifespan. As a narrative review, this finding may not fully represent the broader evidence base, and rapid changes in gaming technology may limit the applicability of older research.
Reference magazines:
- Deric, S., Kaewpradup, T., Adisakwattana, S., Stirling, E., Stephan, B., Nguyen, V., Radin Pereira, L., Uren, HV, and Siervo, M. (2026). A critical appraisal of the associations between video games, lifestyle factors, diet and eating behavior: A narrative review. Nutrients, 18(6). DOI: 10.3390/nu18060967, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/6/967
