A new study seeks to rubbish the long-held belief that video games make children dull and obese.
Children burn more calories playing active video games than playing games that require them to remain seated: Study
NEW DELHI: A new study seeks to rubbish the long-held belief that video games make children dull and obese. In fact, the study claims, children burn over four times more calories per minute playing an active video game than playing a game that requires them to remain seated. The reason: Children’s heart beats at a significantly faster pace while playing active video games, which leads to calorie burn.
However, experts say, the long-term effects of such “calorie loss”, which is triggered more by hormones than any physical activity, are yet to be established.
Video and computer gaming is fast becoming the preferred leisure activity for schoolchildren. In the last decade, computer and video game sales shot up by $5.2 billion and over 50% urban Indian children today have video game players in their bedrooms.
The study by researchers at the Institute of Human Performance, University of Hong Kong, has been published in the latest issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. It says the gaming industry is producing active “extertainment” systems that give a virtual experience.
“XaviX is a recent active gaming concept that allows players to experience various activities, such as bowling, fishing, tennis and golf, in a virtual world. In addition to exercise gaming modalities, XaviX includes a gaming mat (XaviX J-Mat) that allows participants to walk/run in the streets of Hong Kong avoiding obstacles and stamping out ninjas,” the authors wrote.
Anoop Misra, director and head of diabetes and metabolism department, Fortis Group of Hospitals, Delhi, says virtual experience video games have their own effect.
“Constant stress is one of it. The increase in heart beat while playing video games is not due to any physical activity but due to stress reactions such as anxiety, excitement and fear. Is such calorie burn acceptable to parents? Such cumulative stress leads to other diseases,” he says.
The researchers measured heart rate and energy (calorie) expenditure in 18 children aged 6-12 during a 25-minute gaming protocol. Participants rested for five minutes, then played a seated computer bowling game, an active bowling game and the action/running game for five minutes each, with five minutes of rest between active games. Compared with resting, children burned 39% more calories per minute playing a seated game, 98% more playing active bowling and 451% more during the action/running game. When compared with seated gaming, they burned 0.6 more calorie playing active bowling and 3.9 more calories per minute playing on the action mat.
In addition, the participants’ heart rate was significantly higher during either active game than during rest [20 more beats per minute for active bowling and 79 more beats per minute for the action/running game].
p_vineeta@dnaindia.net
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