Zosimo T. Literatus, R.M.T.
Breakthroughs

SWISS journalist and entrepreneur Esther Dyson, in an interview in Time Magazine in 2005, said: “The Internet is like alcohol in some sense. It accentuates what you would do anyway. If you want to be a loner, you can be more alone. If you want to connect, it makes it easier to connect.”

Unfortunately, if you use it leisurely, it can get so addictive it may adversely affect your education, work, and even weight control program.

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Four Australian researchers found out that leisure-time using the Internet or computer positively relates to high bodyweights, low educational attainment, and low work productivity. The four are from the Institute for Health and Social Sciences Research (IHSSR) at Central Queensland University (Rockhampton) and Cancer Prevention Research Centre at the University of Queensland (Herston)

In the results published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (July 2009 issue), lead scientist Corneel Vandelanotte of IHSSR reported that people who have high leisure-time Internet and computer use (HLT) are almost 50 percent more likely to be obese (body-mass index or BMI of 25-30 kg per sq. m.) and 152 percent more to be obese (BMI of more than 30 kg psm) compared to those who do not use the Internet or computer for leisure time.

“Participants with low leisure-time Internet and computer use had the highest levels of educational attainment and employment,” added Vandelanotte.

While the study does not establish a causal relationship (other factors may explain these findings), it remains wise to look into the effects of using the Internet and computer use for frequent leisure activities.

We ourselves can confirm should our behavior is making us forgetful of our works and studies as well as increase the readings in the bathroom scale.

Leisure is not something bad. It makes us shrug off stress and tension. But a wise use of the Internet for leisure, like any other thing in life, remains indispensable.

In his book Conquest of Happiness (1930), Bertrand Russell noted: “To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization, and at present very few people have reached this level.”

Isn’t it pleasurable to prove to yourself that you have reached a level few people have not?

(E-mail: zim_breakthroughs@yahoo.com; Blog: http://breakthroughstoday.blogspot.com/)