In the not too distant future, video games may have health warning labels like the ones found on Marlboros and Jim Beam.

New research performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emory University, and Andrews University shows that the average age of video game players is 35.  That means a lot of very old people are spending endless hours on the Nintendo Wii, Sony (SNE) PS3, or Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360 consoles. It also means that gaming is not dominated by people under 20 and a portion of younger adults are probably doing something constructive with their time.

The data, which will appear in The Journal of Preventive Medicine in October, shows that video game players tend to be fat (have high BMI indexes), depressed (self assessment of mental state), and shut-ins (rely heavily on internet for social support).

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Sony has just announced that it will cut the price of its PS3 by $100. If gaming turns out to be a serious and undiscovered health hazard, the price cut may not help.

Nintendo, of course, has the Wii Fit. At least its users get some exercise to help with weight loss and increase endorphins.

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Executive Producer: Philip MacDonald

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