Examining the relationship of students' digital game addiction with obesity presence and LGS success

Digital game addiction; It can be defined as the desire to play and the loss of control over the time allotted, and this activity becoming a high priority in one's life at the level of neglect of other responsibilities. In this study, with the participation of high school first year students; It was aimed to evaluate the effect of digital game addiction on the success of the High School Entrance System exam (LGS) and the presence of obesity. The research was designed in cross-sectional type. The universe of the research consists of high schools located in Meram district of Konya. The research was carried out in a total of 9 high schools (4 high schools that accept students with LGS score, and 5 high schools that accept students independent of LGS score) in Meram district, selected with simple random sample method from 39 high schools (13 of these 39 high schools are private high schools and 8 of these 39 high schools are high schools that accept students according to LGS score). In May 2022, necessary permissions were obtained from the Konya Provincial Directorate of National Education, and data were collected face to face from 417 first grade high school students. The data collection form prepared by the researcher by examining similar studies in the literature and the "Digital Game Addiction Scale for Children (DGASC)" were used to collect the data. There was a low level of positive correlation between the LGS score and the "excessive focus and conflict towards digital gaming" sub-factor (r=0,144, p=0,003) and the "development of tolerance in playing time and the value attributed to the game" sub-factor (r=0,108, p=0,027). There was no statistically significant difference between DGASC and its sub-factors in 4 schools that accepted students with LGS score and 5 schools that accepted students without LGS score. There was no statistical difference between DGASC and its sub-factors according to BMI group. According to DGASC, 3,4% of the students were in the normal group, 13,4% were in the dependent group, and 1,2% were in the highly dependent group. No difference was found between the students' BMI and DGASC score groups. A higher level of digital game addiction was seen in male students compared to female students. It was determined that there was a low level of correlation between the LGS score and the DGASC's two sub-factors, "excessive focus and conflict towards digital game playing" and "development of tolerance in game time and the value attributed to the game". There was no correlation between the presence of obesity and digital game addiction.