It is well-known that long gaming sessions can throw off daily routines and other important habits. This is why in in my latest study, published in the scientific journal Eating Behaviors, I investigated how gaming connects to what we eat.

The short answer is that when gaming becomes problematic, poor diet often follows, and the strongest bridge between the two is physical wellness according to the findings of the study.

The study conducted

This large-scale study surveyed a nationally representative sample of adults in the United Kingdom. People reported their gaming habits, their physical and mental wellness, and how often they ate less healthy foods (e.g., sugary drinks, fried foods, and heavily processed snacks).

What was found

People with more severe levels of gaming disorder were more likely to report unhealthy eating. They also tended to report lower physical wellness, such as less regular movement or poorer sleep routines.

When I tested how these pieces fit together, physical wellness explained a meaningful part of the link between gaming disorder and unhealthy eating. In other words, as physical wellness slipped, diet quality tended to slip too.

Mental wellness did relate to gaming disorder, but it did not explain the connection to unhealthy eating in this study. Perhaps focusing only on mood or general psychological well-being may miss an important part of the picture.

Practical implications

If you are trying to reduce the health downsides of problematic gaming, start with the body. Rebuilding daily routines around movement, sleep, and simple meal planning could be a practical way to weaken the pull toward less healthy foods (e.g., fast food).

This does not mean mental health is unimportant, only that physical wellness may be the most direct lever for improving diet when gaming has become problematic.

What to keep in mind

The results come from a single-time survey, so we cannot say what causes what. People also reported their own habits, which can be imperfect.

The mental wellness measure used in the study was broad, so it may have missed specific pieces of the puzzle such as emotion regulation or stress management that could still matter even if the overall score did not.

Takeaway

Problematic gaming and poor diet often travel together. In this study, the clearest link ran through everyday physical wellness, implying that strengthening routines for sleep, movement, and basic food choices may be a straightforward way to improve diet while addressing gaming problems.

Reference

Pontes, H. M. (2025). From high scores to high calories: Investigating the relationship between gaming disorder and unhealthy eating behaviors in the context of wellness. Eating Behaviors, 102023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102023

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