Active Video Games May Help Spur Exercise
INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) -- Active video games appear helpful in encouraging youth to exercise, researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis said. One study examined energy expenditure for active video games compared to sedentary games to see just how much more exercise 17 children about age 11 get when playing systems like the Wii. Gregory Brown and his team found that Wii Boxing, Wii Tennis and Dance Dance Revolution burned two to three times as many calories as traditional hand-held games. Researcher Viki Penpraze conducted a similar study, comparing two active games to a hand-held game and simply watching a DVD. Participants included 13 children, all around age 10. During Dance Mat Mania and Eye-Toy Boxing, players simulate actual boxers. The study found the counts of total movements per minutes were more than four times those of the DVD and hand-held game activities. However, a third study from The Netherlands found that perhaps not all active games meet recommended oxygen consumption and energy expenditure. The research team studied six gaming systems: Dance Dance Revolution, Wii Tennis, Eye-Toy Beach Volleyball, Xerbike, Lasersquash and Apartgame. They found Wii Tennis and Eye-Toy Beach Volleyball did not achieve the level of energy output recommended for children by Dutch health and fitness experts.
INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) -- Active video games appear helpful in encouraging youth to exercise, researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis said. One study examined energy expenditure for active video games compared to sedentary games to see just how much more exercise 17 children about age 11 get when playing systems like the Wii. Gregory Brown and his team found that Wii Boxing, Wii Tennis and Dance Dance Revolution burned two to three times as many calories as traditional hand-held games. Researcher Viki Penpraze conducted a similar study, comparing two active games to a hand-held game and simply watching a DVD. Participants included 13 children, all around age 10. During Dance Mat Mania and Eye-Toy Boxing, players simulate actual boxers. The study found the counts of total movements per minutes were more than four times those of the DVD and hand-held game activities. However, a third study from The Netherlands found that perhaps not all active games meet recommended oxygen consumption and energy expenditure. The research team studied six gaming systems: Dance Dance Revolution, Wii Tennis, Eye-Toy Beach Volleyball, Xerbike, Lasersquash and Apartgame. They found Wii Tennis and Eye-Toy Beach Volleyball did not achieve the level of energy output recommended for children by Dutch health and fitness experts.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
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