Health+Perspective

=__**Health Perspective**__=

Nintendo 3DS
Ever since the 3DS has been released, there had been talk of the #|health risks that accompany the new device. So much, that it has been nearly impossible to find any #|health #|benefits related to the product. Among the few benefits that can come from playing the 3DS are that the 3D mode can be switched off transforming it into a normal 2D game that would not harm children's eyes. Others have implied that the 3DS can actually help diagnose certain vision disorders and #|lead to #|vision therapy in a child who suffers from [|amblyopia].

Among the few benefits for a child's #|health, there are many warnings and risks advising parents that young children should not play the 3DS. The reason for the warnings is that the 3DS provides 3D animation without the player having to wear any form of glasses. Many people say that the image simply 'tricks your eyes' into seeing a 3D graphic. The warnings advises children under 6 who wish to play the 3DS to turn off the 3D feature before playing. According to Nintendo, children under 6 years old should not play the 3DS with the 3D feature because it could damage their eyesight. They also advise others to stop playing after only a short time of 30 minutes to avoid damage and should stop play even sooner if they begin to feel ill. Since the release of the 3DS, gamers have only reported small #|health #|issues such as headaches, and minor discomfort while playing. Things that are easily cured by taking a break and refraining from playing.

Dr. Jim Sheedy, director of the Vision Performance Institure at the #|School of Optometry at #|Pacific University feels that the 3DS "requires the visual system to do a different trick than it does in the real world," and some people are better at accepting this trick than others. So far, none of the warnings have been reported true but many feel it is just too soon to tell. Others however think that the biggest side effect that will come from playing the 3DS is a headache or two and some dizziness. In most cases, people feel only time can tell.

Wii
Like all video #|games, the Nintendo Wii has been both ridiculed for causing #|health hazards, but also honored for promoting and enabling a #|healthy life style. Unlike the Nintendo 3DS however, the Wii has received much more praise and contributes to greater #|health benefits than risks. A recent #|study done by The International Sports Sciences Association released results of a #|survey stating that technologies such as the Wii "may prove to be just what fitness experts are looking for to their clients get more active."

Dr. Josh Trout a professor of Kinesiology stated that, "exergaming and entertaining, is an excellent way for getting kids hooked physical activity, producing good exercise habits that can last a lifetime." Evidently there is a lot of support done by intelligent people stating that the Wii is a whole new revolution in exercise. Add to that that Wii produces a whole program specifically designed to exercise, WiiFit, and who would argue about the #|health benefits? Simply put, the Wii provides a fun interactive way to exercise, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy yourself while doing it.

There are a few people who like to argue that the Wii is a potential #|health hazard, however these #|studies are more of opinions and are generally not backed up with concrete evidence. The first and most famous criticism of the Wii is that the controllers are unsafe because they are 'flying' out of people's hands and breaking TV's or harming another person. Of course, that is what the safety strap, that is supposed to go around your wrist to prevent things like this from happening, is for. Other people claim to have pulled muscles or even broken elbows from strenuously playing the Wii. But you can get these exact same results from any form of movement or exercise thus, the injury can not be placed solely on the Wii. These injuries can at most times be prevented by warming up and stretching before any form of exercise, including playing the Wii.

Xbox Live & Call Of Duty
Xbox Live is an extraordinary device that allows gamers to play their favorite games worldwide. There are no known health benefits for Xbox Live and the health risks include the general risks that all video #|games do. These risks include child obesity, identity theft, and addiction. Many argue that even pedophiles can become active Xbox Live users allowing them to talk to millions of children resulting in the possibility that the child will give away valuable information. In reality, Xbox live was not created for this reason. It was invented to allow gamers to be able to play against or with people from all around the world, instead of against the computer or a friend sitting right next to them. It allowed for a whole new gaming experience.

The actual Call of Duty #|games have a lot more #|health risks and benefits associated with them and can be played using Xbox Live. Call of Duty is an action packed shooting game in which you act as a character while completing such tasks as killing the enemy, capturing their flag, and even detonating bombs. Because of this, many people feel that it betters players motor skills and reaction time because of how fast-paced the game can be. Modes such as Team Death Match put you on a team and the only object is to kill as many foreign players as possible. Another called Gun Game is an 'every man for themselves' mode in which your weapon upgrades after every kill you get, and the first to 20 guns wins. This is another example of how action packed the game is which in turn improves gamers reaction time.

Health risks are also found when researching Call of Duty. Many feel that the game is too violent and since many younger children play the game, it can results in bad behavior. This bad behavior can start as small aggression but become more violent as the child plays more and becomes older. Also, some feel that kids are too addicted to games such as Call of Duty and spend their time playing online with friends instead of outside exercise, thus resulting in child obesity.

Social Networking Games
Social networking games have definitely become popular in today's society. About 40% of all Facebook users admit to playing a Facebook related social networking game. Among these games are Farmville, The Price is Right, Frontierville, Pawn Stars, and many more. There is almost a game for every different person. Because of the new phenomenon, there have been many health studies to see if the new type of games can help or harm your health.

There are many reasons why people say not to play social #|networking games because of health reasons. First of all, it takes up way to much time that you could be using doing something productive. Many people procrastinate using these type of games which can only lead to greater stress when it comes to doing what needs to be done. Also, these type of games can be very addicting which ties into the idea that it take up too much time and leads to unproductivity. Addiction leads to people people neglecting their family and friends which can harm relationships. Some don't believe how addicting these games can be and just see them as a silly way to waste time.

Very few people see people benefiting from social networking games. They feel that these type of games allow people to escape from reality and find an escape from their busy lives. Social networking games have been argued to be the perfect release for people who lead stressful lives. These type of people find it hard to just sit down and relax because they are so used to being active that social networking games give them the perfect balance of entertainment and relaxation. Social networking games can also have no effect on people who know how to manage their time and not get addicted.