‘Active’ Video Games Burn Calories
I’ve been saying for a long time that Wii is a gateway to fighting weight-gain and actually losing some weight. I have a friend who has lost thirty-five pounds with Wii Fit. Now, there’s a study that shows why that is, and it seemed pretty obvious to me, but this just helps to reinforce the simple fact that Wii is the best system to get people active that otherwise wouldn’t be, and then some!
Kids who play activity-oriented video games are getting quite a workout, a new study shows. Video and computer gaming is a popular pastime for school-aged children, but such activities have been wrought with criticism. Research has shown that children who play seated video games for extended amounts of time have an increased risk for obesity.
“Active” gaming systems may help combat this problem. Such entertainment systems allow players to become part of the game. For example, an activity-oriented video game might virtually place someone in a tennis match and allow the person to swing at a ball. Body movements are necessary in order for the game to function.
Researchers reporting in this month’s issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine have found that children who play active video games burn four times as many calories as kids who play traditional seated ones.
-via WebMD
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