E-athletes are healthier than average

E-sports players drink and smoke less and have a better weight than their non-gaming counterparts, a recent study shows.

Contrary to the cliché, computer gamers are apparently healthier than the average population. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Australia's Queensland University of Technology and Sweden's Umea University. The scientists surveyed 1,400 e-sports players from 65 countries about their lifestyle. According to the study, active players are particularly healthy.

The respondents were between nine and 21 percent more likely to be of normal weight. The body mass index (BMI) was used as the basis of measurement. Gamers stated that they smoked and drank less alcohol than the average person. The most successful ten percent were particularly active in sports. "The results challenge the stereotype of the morbidly obese gamer," says scientist Michael Trotter from Queensland University. The most successful ten percent exercised for an hour a day to reduce stress and improve their game.