ACTIVE Video games may not be as beneficial.....

ninerbuff
ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
as previously thought. Here's an article on a small study.

Scientists and fitness professionals have spent plenty of time looking for ways to encourage improved activity levels among children. To appeal to tech-minded youth, one possible means for improving fitness is active video gaming. However, a study published recently in Pediatrics (March 1, 2012; 129 [3], 636–42) suggests that this may not be as effective as previously thought.

The 13-week study included 78 kids—51% of them boys—of varying ethnic backgrounds, aged 9–12, divided into an active game group and an inactive game group. Games were considered “active” if they required players to move while playing. Inactive games required no movement. Throughout the protocol, the children were instructed to keep track of the amount of time they spent playing games. They were also given accelerometers to measure their exertion levels.

Unfortunately, there was no significant difference in overall activity levels between the groups. The researchers noted that although the children in the active group played more intensely while under observation, they reduced that level when they were outside the clinical setting.

But wouldn’t the active gamers log more physical activity than the non-active group in general? The authors proposed that the lack of difference between the groups might have been due to the active children compensating for the increased gaming activity by being less active at other times of the day. The authors’ conclusion: “These results provide no reason to believe that simply acquiring an active video game under naturalistic circumstances provides a public health benefit to children.”




There is nothing that can really substitute for actual physical activity for kids like sports, exercise and plain old "horseplay".

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Replies

  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Okay... but don't we all do that. I mean... if you run out of gas and have to walk a mile to the gas station, wouldn't you skip your normal evening run on the treadmill. The kids aren't trying to be more active. All this article says to me is that parents can't manipulate their children into increasing their activity levels. While it certainly isn't an ideal replacement to going outside to play (only because of the social aspect), that doesn't mean it doesn't offer a health benefit for children.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    This research sounds very vague and unclear Niner. Kids are active but only when being watched? And then when they're not gaming they're less active than the kids who are gamers? May just be me but this really didn't made sense to me
  • rextcat
    rextcat Posts: 1,408 Member
    :bigsmile: SUPRIZE tired kids sleep/lounge where as not tired children....live with me:mad: .......
    serously what games are they playing to be active and :sad: where :sad: can i get it for mine??? i could do with them napping! :explode:
  • xSCiNTILLATEx79
    xSCiNTILLATEx79 Posts: 245 Member
    This doesn't make much sense to me either. I guess it depends on the game the kids are playing. I use my xbox kinect for Zumba and Fruit Ninja and other Active games, anythings better then sitting on your butt not moving.

    I think the researchers are against video games to begin with, I still come across avid Gamer Haters, who think video games rott your brain, when in fact there are more and more studies proving otherwise.

    I had my nephew over the otherday and he was playing carnival games..he likes the boxing one. He kicked butt, his face was all red and he got all sweaty he was working his butt off and played for at least 45 minutes, he is 7 years old. My neice 4 likes the roller coaster game where you move your arms all around she plays for a good 20-30 minutes - it wears her out. shes terrible at it but she is moving lol. They are also active throughout the day STILL after playing. This probably has to do more with poor parenting and letting your kids be lazy. Logically it makes no sense that there is no difference, if there heart rate is increasing theres a difference then being completely sedentary.

    *le sigh* gamer haters.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    This doesn't make much sense to me either. I guess it depends on the game the kids are playing. I use my xbox kinect for Zumba and Fruit Ninja and other Active games, anythings better then sitting on your butt not moving.

    I think the researchers are against video games to begin with, I still come across avid Gamer Haters, who think video games rott your brain, when in fact there are more and more studies proving otherwise.

    I had my nephew over the otherday and he was playing carnival games..he likes the boxing one. He kicked butt, his face was all red and he got all sweaty he was working his butt off and played for at least 45 minutes, he is 7 years old. My neice 4 likes the roller coaster game where you move your arms all around she plays for a good 20-30 minutes - it wears her out. shes terrible at it but she is moving lol. They are also active throughout the day STILL after playing. This probably has to do more with poor parenting and letting your kids be lazy. Logically it makes no sense that there is no difference, if there heart rate is increasing theres a difference then being completely sedentary.

    *le sigh* gamer haters.

    Honestly, I lost the first 70 lbs thanks to Wii Boxing and better eating habits!
  • stfriend
    stfriend Posts: 256 Member
    If you want kids to be active, take the game AWAY. They'll find something to do.
  • MeechoXD
    MeechoXD Posts: 27
    I am not sure what kind of games constitute physical activity these days, when I remember when I was 12 I became obsessed with Dance Dance Revolution and it was an extremely good workout when playing on the hardest levels. I have read several stories years ago about people who have lost a large amount of weight playing DDR, as well.

    Maybe the kids aren't enjoying themselves in these newer games where they would get super into it and play for a long period of time. Or maybe they are too young for what they are playing, or too old. I don't know, I guess I'd have to know more about the study.
  • GodsGirl37
    GodsGirl37 Posts: 348
    This!
    This doesn't make much sense to me either. I guess it depends on the game the kids are playing. I use my xbox kinect for Zumba and Fruit Ninja and other Active games, anythings better then sitting on your butt not moving.

    I think the researchers are against video games to begin with, I still come across avid Gamer Haters, who think video games rott your brain, when in fact there are more and more studies proving otherwise.

    I had my nephew over the otherday and he was playing carnival games..he likes the boxing one. He kicked butt, his face was all red and he got all sweaty he was working his butt off and played for at least 45 minutes, he is 7 years old. My neice 4 likes the roller coaster game where you move your arms all around she plays for a good 20-30 minutes - it wears her out. shes terrible at it but she is moving lol. They are also active throughout the day STILL after playing. This probably has to do more with poor parenting and letting your kids be lazy. Logically it makes no sense that there is no difference, if there heart rate is increasing theres a difference then being completely sedentary.

    *le sigh* gamer haters.

    Honestly, I lost the first 70 lbs thanks to Wii Boxing and better eating habits!
  • xSCiNTILLATEx79
    xSCiNTILLATEx79 Posts: 245 Member
    Honestly, I lost the first 70 lbs thanks to Wii Boxing and better eating habits!

    My last 20lbs was thanks to Zumba Kinect and playing more active games vs. sitting and playing Halo and L4D like a zombie. Which dont get me wrong I LOVE doing but I really love the fact I can get my game on and break a sweat!

    There is nothing wrong with gaming in fact it increases cognitive skills/problem solving and team work if done properly. If your a parent and use it as a baby sitter expect to have issues. Duh.
  • NotThePest
    NotThePest Posts: 164
    They just gave the kids the games, there was nothing to inspire them to use it. We do what we know. As an Exergamer, my gaming system, the Wii, was purchased only for working out and nothing only. I can attest to the usefullness and benefits of using certain games. jSome of them are crap. Although abandened by EA, Electronic Arts, there Series called EA Sports Active was/is a very good program. I'm on MFP because when EA stoped their on-line support, those who were commiteed to the games, came over here. Those of us who use the programs faithfully, have benefited greatly. Mel B (Scary Spice) also has a kick *kitten* game, Get Fit With Mel B, that is on PS3 and the Wii.
  • xSCiNTILLATEx79
    xSCiNTILLATEx79 Posts: 245 Member
    On another note. XBOX now has Kinect Play Fit. An app like MFP for XBOX it keeps track of the active games you play, time played/calories burned and you can compete with your friends. = AWESOME!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    I posted the study because I thought it was interesting. IMO, I believe any physical gaming activity is beneficial, but unlike adults, kids get bored pretty quickly. So I believe that once a kid "masters" a game, then don't have the tendency to continue to play it, whereas an adult will continue because of the physical benefits. Kids don't look at physical movement as exercise, they look at it as FUN. When the fun wears off, then they won't be interested in doing it anymore. That's my take on it anyhow.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • drgndancer
    drgndancer Posts: 426 Member
    I agree with UsedTobeHusky. People are generally not going to increase their activity level unless they want to. If you tell a kid e can only play active video games (instead of games he wants to play), he's either going to avoid playing the games, play them with less vigor than he might, or rest more afterward. If a person, who chooses to use active video games as a way to increase physical activity, makes a choice to play these games on a regular basis at times when they would normally be sedentary the results might well be very different. If half an hour of Wii Sports raises my heart rate to 160 bpm, and keeps me moving for the entire 30 minutes how is that any different (from a pure fitness point of view) than if I spent that same half hour running outside and got my heart rate to 160 bpm? Or did an Insanity video? Or an Aerobics class?

    The lesson here appears to be "If you try to force kids to be more active it probably won't work," not "Active video games aren't a good way to get exercise." The way to get kids to be more active is to make them want to be more active, not forcing them or tricking them into exercising with video games.
  • 00Melyanna00
    00Melyanna00 Posts: 221 Member
    I think the biggest difference is that with video games, you can always cheat.
    No matter how good the Kinect technology is (and it keeps getting better), there is always a way to cheat, so unless you are motivated, you may end up doing a lot less efforts than what the game would require.
    Of course, you are not enjoing yourself much and playing the game to be active loses its purpose. But, if you don't care about it at all, because somebody told you to play - like these kids, I can see that you won't be that active.
    Nothing beats having an instructor and group activities, as a motivator to do your best and not cheat.
  • NotThePest
    NotThePest Posts: 164
    The EA Sports Active Series, EASA2.0 and their NFL Training Camp have to be used with a H/R moniter/senser. If that isn't on, then the game ain't working. Although the H/R moniter accurate as it could be (I've matched it minute for minute with my Polar FT60), for me the little avatars are like the "rabbit" at the dog races and they work for me.

    If someone doesn't have the discipline to use them, no matter the age, then they are not going to use them. EA's on-line challenge and team building failed with 2.0 and NFL because there was a lot of drop outs. The only way you could get someone off your team was if they were kind enough to remove themselves; if not, then you had 12 names but only 2 to 4 people being productive.
  • xSCiNTILLATEx79
    xSCiNTILLATEx79 Posts: 245 Member
    I posted the study because I thought it was interesting. IMO, I believe any physical gaming activity is beneficial, but unlike adults, kids get bored pretty quickly. So I believe that once a kid "masters" a game, then don't have the tendency to continue to play it, whereas an adult will continue because of the physical benefits. Kids don't look at physical movement as exercise, they look at it as FUN. When the fun wears off, then they won't be interested in doing it anymore. That's my take on it anyhow.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I can understand that part I'm that way too, I master a game and move on thats part of gaming some games are play one time some have more play value. I think I'm curious about these kids though are they just lazy already/poor parenting tv/games babysitters?

    I was a kid gamer once too - my parents let me play it endlessly (they had poor parenting skills lol) I was allowed to be lazy and sit in front of tv all day. Again parents need to start taking more responsibility for their children and go out and do stuff with them. Games should be a reward and limited until a certain age they should also utilize the games that promote brain function and activity vs. mindless.