Female video-game players reported greater depression and lower health status than female non-players.

Male video-game players reported higher BMI and more internet use time than non-players.

The only factor common to both men and women players was greater reliance on the net for social support.

Dr James B Weaver III, of CDC, Atlanta, said: “As hypothesized, health-risk factors specifically, a higher BMI and a greater number of poor mental-health days differentiated adult video-game players from non-players.