The eSport industry is growing rapidly and is linked to a poorer diet among young people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In 2020, its revenue reached $1.1 billion and it engaged some 495 million people worldwide.

Esports are typically professional competitions using video games as platforms where two or more people engage in competitive games within gaming communities.

Among young people, the WHO warns, e-sport has been linked to poorer diet, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and other physical impacts, such as eye fatigue or strain, pain in the hands, neck or wrist, and longer periods of sedentary behavior.

However, the significant prevalence of young people as participants and broadcasting of eSports provide an opportunity to present strategies to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors that could offset negative outcomes resulting from increasing engagement with eSports.

For example, gamers need to be aware of the impacts that esports can have on their dietary and physical behavior.

Based on the evidence, active video games and Internet-based interventions had some statistically significant effects on weight-related outcomes, compared to control groups.

For the WHO, this suggests that technology-based interventions could have a positive impact on physical health. The most effective of such interventions would have the potential to help children and adolescents living with overweight and obesity by reducing their weight gain and increasing their light to moderate physical activity.

eSport industry

In 2016, the Pokémon Go game combined virtual gameplay with real-world engagement by having players move around to locate and catch virtual creatures called Pokémon.

In a very short period, the game had been adopted by some 40 million people.

Some researchers, seeing gaming as a potential intervention that could get people moving on a large scale, began looking at how these types of games might be used to help reduce obesity and promote physical activity and other health goals public.

The WHO stated that evidence from these analyzes subsequently indicated that Pokémon Go increased physical activity levels in men and women of all ages, regardless of their previous activity level, age, weight status, and gender.

Obesity

Similarly, video games that incorporate complex behavioral procedures appear to be effective in increasing and maintaining fruit and vegetable consumption among children.

Some researchers have suggested that rather than designing new video games to deliver health interventions, there is more potential in adapting existing commercial games that millions of people already play to incorporate elements that promote health.

For example, the entertainment portal Twitch is a website and video streaming service for video games that reached 45 million viewers during its first two years.