Playing active versions of video games may prevent children from becoming obese. Childhood obesity has become a health concern globally. Technological change at homes, schools and workplaces has added comfort to the life but has made our lives sedentary and less active. To assess how playing an active video game helps children in shedding calories, researchers from America measured the heart rate and number of calories burned in 18 children aged 6 to 12 years. The children were asked to play an active video game, a passive video game, and an action/running game. Over 25 minutes, the children alternated between the three games with a five-minute rest in between each game. It was found that compared with resting children, 39 percent more calories per minute were burnt playing the video passive game, 98 percent more calories per minute were burnt playing the active bowling game, and 451 percent more calories per minute were burnt playing the action or running game. Heart rates were found to be significantly higher during the active game and the action game compared with playing the seated video game. The above findings indicated that playing active video games resulted in meaningful amounts of energy being expended in comparison to the normal seated game environment and thus suggest that playing active video games maybe a good way to get children exercising.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
September 2008