Young Danish Esports Players Physical Health, and Their Opportunities and Wishes for Physical Activity From Their Esports Club: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Electronic sports (esports) refer to competitive video gaming at professional and amateur levels. The increasing popularity of esports may lead to an increased tendency toward inactivity and sedentary behavior among players. Currently, 150 min of physical activity (PA) of moderate to high intensity per week is recommended to main a healthy lifestyle. The aim of this study was to investigate whether young esports players are offered to participate in PA and what type of PA they would like to participate in. The level of PA, bodily pain, and sleeping habits were also investigated through a self-reported questionnaire. The median score for PA was 2,850 metabolic equivalent of task minutes per week. One in every five esports players was offered PA by their esports association, and most of them have used this offer. For participants who were not offered PA, the most often called-for type of PA was resistance training, ballgames, and cardiovascular training.