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Before you give up on the young gamers in your house, note this: If you can get your kid to stand, move and play for at least 35 minutes, he might avoid weight gain.
A new study measured energy expended by 18 children ages six to 12 under four conditions: resting while watching a video; sitting while playing a video for five minutes using just a mouse; standing while playing XaviX bowling (knock down as many pins as possible in five minutes using a wireless bowling ball and a wrist strap); and standing while playing XaviX J-Mat Jackie's Action Run (travel for five minutes through the streets of virtual Hong Kong, which requires squatting, jumping and stamping out virtual ninjas, all done on a gaming mat).
Compared to resting, the amount of energy expended increased by 39 percent for the seated game, 98 percent for XaviX bowling and 451 percent for XaviX J-Mat. Still, children would need to play the J-Mat game for 35 minutes a day to prevent weight gain, write researchers Robin R. Mellecker and Alison M. McManus, of the Institute of Human Performance at the University of Hong Kong.
The general findings of increased energy use echoed the results of earlier research.
Of course, video games seldom compare to exercise, although an editorial accompanying the study in the current Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine calls on game developers to continue exploring games that require kids to be more active. It also says more research is needed to explore other possible behavioral effects.
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