Interactive Video Games
Larry Birnbaum, PhD, FASEP, EPC
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN  55811

Obesity is a recognized problem in the United States and elsewhere.  There is a particular concern about the growing obesity epidemic in children.  Nieman asserts that the number of overweight youth has more than tripled over the past 3-4 decades [1].  The major problem is physical inactivity, although a poor diet is all too often a contributing factor.  Children spend too much time watching television, playing on the computer, or playing video games.  Proposed solutions have included requiring physical education classes every school day, incorporating green space and/or playgrounds in inner city areas, and educating children about the benefits of exercise and risks associated with obesity.  Recently, interactive video games have been introduced that require players to actually move somewhat rather than just sitting in front of a screen. 

People of all ages can bowl, play tennis, or box in the comfort of their own homes with Nintendo’s Wii Sports.  If they prefer to dance, a video game called Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is available.  More than likely, the number and types of interactive video games available for in-home use will increase.  They seem like a good idea, but do they really improve the fitness of participants?  According to Lanningham-Foster, Jensen, Foster, Redmond, Walker, Heinz, and Levine, energy expenditure more than doubled when subjects walked on a treadmill while watching television or played an interactive video game compared to just sitting while watching television or playing a traditional video game [2].  Tan, Aziz, Chua, and Teh reported that the exercise intensity of playing DDR was ranked at a minimum of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations for developing and maintaining cardiovascular fitness [3].  They also pointed out that subjects need to play for extended amounts of time to improve or maintain their cardiorespiratory fitness or to lose weight.  Similarly, Graves, Stratton, Ridgers, and Cable concluded that playing the new active computer games (Wii Sports games) burned significantly more energy than sedentary computer games, but not as much energy as playing the sport itself [4].  Furthermore, the energy burned when playing Wii Sports games was not of sufficient intensity to contribute to the recommended daily exercise requirement for children.

If the intensity is inadequate, why not just increase the duration of the game play?  For that matter, if children played these interactive video games 2-3 times per day, 5-6 days per week, wouldn’t that compensate for the lower intensity level?  Not according to McArdle, Katch, and Katch [5].  Intensity is the key.  As little as a one-third reduction in exercise intensity reduces VO₂max, whereas up to a two-thirds reduction in duration or frequency does not result in a loss of aerobic capacity.  What then should exercise physiologists recommend to parents concerned about their children’s physical inactivity or their own?  Surely, the interactive video games are better than the sedentary ones.  Ideally, playing the actual games is best.  Playing sports not only provides a healthy workout, it also provides social interaction, an important part of the development of children that is sorely lacking in video games.  Still, not all children are going to play sports due to lack of opportunity or interest.  Adults are even less likely to do so.  For those people, the interactive video games may be a partial substitute, but more vigorous physical activity should be included in a health and wellness program.  Finding vigorous physical activities that children and adults enjoy is the challenge.  The current interactive video games may be the best alternative for some individuals (some activity is better than none).  Perhaps future generations of the interactive video games will require higher intensity workouts.  Until then, exercise physiologists must continue to advocate for regular exercise for all people, especially children.

References

1.  Nieman, D. C. (2007).  Exercise testing and prescription: A health-related approach (6^th ed.).  New York: McGraw-Hill.

2.  Lanningham-Foster, L., Jensen, T., Foster, R., Redmond, A., Walker, B., Heinz, D., & Levine, J. (2006).  Energy expenditure of sedentary screen time compared with active screen time for children.  Pediatrics, 118, e1831-e1835.

3.  Tan, B., Aziz, A., Chua, K., & Teh, K. (2002).  Aerobic demands of the dance simulation game.  Sports Medicine, 23, 120-129. 

4.  Graves, L., Stratton, G., Ridgers, N.D., & Cable N.T.  (2007).  Comparison of energy expenditure in adolescents when playing new generation and sedentary computer games:  cross sectional study.  BMJ, 335:1282-1284.

5.  McArdle W.D., Katch, F.I., Katch, V.L.  (2007).  Exercise Physiology:  Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance (6^th ed.)  Philadelphia:  Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.