Challenging the Portrait of the Unhealthy Gamer-The Fitness and Health Status of Esports Players and Their Peers: Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Esports players are often referred to as sedentary athletes, as gaming requires prolonged sedentary screen exposure. As sedentary behavior and physical inactivity are major causes of noncommunicable diseases and premature death, esports players may be at an increased risk for health implications. Prior research has established esports players as having higher levels of body fat and lower levels of lean body mass versus age-matched controls, suggesting the need to assess further health and fitness outcomes of this demographic. However, while research interest is undoubtedly increasing, the majority of studies has focused on subjective self-report data and has lacked relevant objective health and fitness measurements.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the health and fitness status of a group of competitive esports players in relation to an age- and sex-matched comparison group.

Methods: In total, 51 competitive esports players (mean 23, SD 3 years, 2 female) and 51 nonesports players (mean 24, SD 3 years, 2 female) were enrolled in this cross-sectional laboratory study. The esports players and the nonesports players completed a questionnaire assessing demographic data and self-reported physical activity levels. Furthermore, physical parameters including BMI, waist-to-height ratio, body fat percentage, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, maximal grip strength, and maximal oxygen consumption were assessed.

Results: There were no significant differences in BMI (t₁₀₀=1.54; P=.13; d=0.30), waist-to-height ratio (t₁₀₀=1.44; P=.16; d=0.28), body fat percentage (t₁₀₀=-0.48; P=.63; d=-0.09), systolic blood pressure (t₁₀₀=-0.06; P=.93; d=-0.01), diastolic blood pressure (t₁₀₀=0.37; P=.71; d=0.07), pulse wave velocity (t₉₃=-2.08; P=.15; d=-0.43), maximal grip strength (t₁₀₀=-.08; P=.94; d=-0.02), maximal oxygen consumption (t₁₀₀=-0.11; P=.92; d=-0.02), and physical activity (PA) levels (t₈₆=2.17; P=.08; d=0.46) between the groups.

Conclusions: While the health narrative directed toward esports players has been mainly negative, this laboratory-based study indicated that esports players are not less healthy or fit compared to their peers. However, it seems that esports players are very heterogeneous and seem to span across the whole range of the fitness and health spectrum. Thus, the generalized statements of the esports athlete as an obese and unhealthy individual may need to be reconsidered.

Keywords: blood pressure; esports; fitness; gamers; health; health burden; health status; physical activity behavior; physical fitness; sedentary athlete.