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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sports Med Int Open 2022; 6(01): E39-E46
DOI: 10.1055/a-1858-8436
Physiology & Biochemistry

The Physiological and Cardiologic Effects of Long Video Gaming Sessions in Adult Males

Kasper Bygum Krarup 
1   Department of Geriatrics, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
2   Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Jesper Mosgaard Rantanen
3   Department of Nephrology, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Morten Mørk
4   Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Inge Søkilde Pedersen
2   Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
5   Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Jeppe Hagstrup Christensen
3   Department of Nephrology, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
5   Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Søren Risom Kristensen
4   Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
5   Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Aase Handberg
4   Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
5   Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
,
Henrik Bygum Krarup
2   Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, Denmark
5   Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
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Abstract

The effect of long gaming sessions on energy intake, caffeine intake, blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, and biochemical cardiac injury markers is unknown. The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the changes in healthy male adults during two consecutive 18-hour sedentary video gaming sessions. Nine participants were enrolled in the study. Energy intake was noted in food diaries. Heart rate variability was monitored continuously; blood pressure and cardiac injury markers were measured every three to six hours. During the 42-hour study, the participants had an energy and caffeine intake of 8004.9 kcal and 1354.4 mg, respectively. The participants had a significant decrease in energy intake in the second session (p=0.01). A strong, negative correlation was found between body mass index and total energy intake (R=–0.84, p=0.005) and waist circumference and total energy intake (R=–0.70, p=0.036) in the first session. No nightly dip in blood pressure or heart rate was observed. Based on this study, long-term adverse effects of gaming cannot be ruled out. The non-dip of HR and BP suggests that long gaming sessions could be detrimental to cardiovascular health long term.

Key words

sedentary video gaming - energy intake - caffeine intake - blood pressure - lifestyle - heart rate variability


Publication History

Received: 13 January 2022
Received: 09 May 2022

Accepted: 10 May 2022

Article published online:
22 July 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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