The World Health Organization (WHO), is urging caution as over 3 billion gamers worldwide face a looming threat of irreversible hearing loss.
The warning comes in the wake of a comprehensive study published in the Open Access Journal – BMJ Public Health, revealing that sound levels during gaming activities often reach or exceed permissible safe limits.
The research, which drew from 14 peer-reviewed studies across nine countries, underscores the potential risks associated with the widespread popularity of video games.
The WHO emphasizes that the current focus on hearing risks primarily associated with headphones, earbuds, and music venues has overshadowed the less-explored impact of video games, including the burgeoning field of e-sports.
According to the WHO statement, gamers frequently expose themselves to high-intensity sound levels for extended periods.The reported sound levels ranged from 43.2 decibels (dB) for mobile devices to a concerning 80-89 dB in gaming centers.
Shockingly, impulse sounds during gameplay were recorded as high as 119 dB, surpassing established permissible exposure limits.
The WHO highlights the prevalence of gaming habits among young people, with studies indicating usage rates ranging from 20% to 68%. South Korean studies specifically report a prevalence of approximately 60% in the utilization of gaming centers.
Additionally, five studies evaluated the association between gaming and self-reported hearing loss, hearing thresholds, or tinnitus. Two of these studies found a correlation between school pupils’ gaming center use and increased odds of severe tinnitus and high-frequency sound hearing loss in both ears.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with WHO, describes a time–intensity trade-off, emphasizing that permissible exposure time decreases with every 3 dB increase in noise level.
This means that gamers, particularly young individuals, are at an increased risk of hearing damage due to their prolonged exposure to high-intensity sound levels during gaming sessions.
