british-medical-journal
Latest
MMO Family: Can gaming boost kids' physical activity?
One of the main concerns that parents have about their children's video game playtime is that it can correlate with inactivity, obesity, and a lack of interest in getting off the couch and doing things. And with reports coming out that sitting is the new smoking, they have good reason to be worried. As video games get more and more mainstream and the couch gets used more and more, young children could start to look like those passengers on the AXIOM in Wall-E. But a recent study by Australian researchers featured in the British Medical Journal may shed a ray of optimism that video games can, in fact, offer opportunities for physical activity after all. Is there hope that younger gamers can avoid a sedentary existence as they grow up? Let's take a look in this week's MMO Family.
British Medical Journal study: Wii Sports doesn't replace exercise
A British Medical Journal study finds UK gamers playing Wii only used 2% more energy than gamers of other consoles. Obviously the UK study needed the US version of WiiFit with Jackie Warner, she'll push them from 2% to 200% -- no crying. The BBC reports on the most "captain obvious" qualities of the report like "time spent in front of television and computer screens has been linked to physical inactivity and obesity." We'd like to point out that so has reading and eating.The comprehensive study of -- wait, is this right? The comprehensive study of six boys and five girls between 13 and 15 years old found playing Wii Sports expended 60kcal per hour compared with other consoles. Two things we learn from this report: 1) Parents should tie a leash around their kid and stick 'em on a treadmill if they are too afraid to let them outside. 2) All the BBC reporters have left for holiday already and the interns have taken over the news division.
