RNS: Video games good exercise for kids? March 2008
TIME: 1:34
URL: www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2008/hmvideogames.htm
U-M Health Minute: Today’s top health issues and medical research
Video games and exercise: High-energy games get kids off the couch, but shouldn’t replace real sports
Suggested lead: Video games like Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution can play an important role in getting kids off the couch and involved in physical activity. But U-M fitness experts say they are not a replacement for traditional exercise, and burn very few calories. Here’s Andi McDonnell with more.
Video games like Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution can play an important role in getting kids off the couch and involved in physical activity. But are they a replacement for traditional exercise?
Definitely not, says Colleen Greene, wellness coordinator for MFit, the health promotion division of the University of Michigan Health System.
“Virtual gaming is no replacement for real gaming or real exercise. Again, it’s a place to start; the kids can have fun doing it, they can maybe feel a little bit better about actually trying the sport or the activity, but it is not a replacement.”
A relatively recent addition to the video game universe, these games are interactive and can require as little activity as a swing of the wrist to play golf or tennis, or as much effort as an intense dance routine or the full punches in a virtual boxing match. Most of these games do not qualify as aerobic exercise, though they do require more activity than traditional video games.
Greene tells us…
“Real calories can be burned during the virtual gaming although some studies have recently shown that it may be up to at most 60 calories an hour. This is nowhere near what an actual game or sport would be, which is probably 3 to 4 times that.”
Greene doesn’t discourage the use of these games –they can help to improve kids’ confidence and hand-eye coordination. She explains…
“Active virtual gaming can have a role in a healthy lifestyle, although a very small role. It’s a place to start. It’s a place to have some fun. It’s a place to start something in a non-threatening environment, but really you want to get out there, give it a try and have some real fun.”
Andi McDonnell, U-M Health System News. |
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