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Can I get fit using active video games?
September 1, 2009By Alex Hutchinson
The most recent Jockology column came out last Thursday, while I was hiking in the desert. It appeared as part of a back-to-school package aimed at the health concerns of school-age children, so I decided to tackle active video games, or “exergaming,” as it’s sometimes referred to.
The question
Will “active” video games keep my kid fit during the school year?
The answer
This is a question that has launched dozens of studies since the release of Nintendo’s Wii gaming system in late 2006, and the results of those studies are finally beginning to appear in peer-reviewed journals.
Researchers around the world now agree that “exer-gaming” does burn significantly more calories than traditional video games - but that’s not saying a lot. The real question is whether they burn enough to improve health and fitness outcomes, and the answer here is still up for debate. [read on...]
Alex Hutchinson
Alex Hutchinson is a middle and long-distance runner who competed on the Canadian National Team from 1997 to 2008. He also has a lifelong interest in science, which led him to complete a PhD in physics at Cambridge University in England. Alex is a senior editor at Canadian Running, where he brings his two passions together with carefully researched, but accessible columns on the science of running. He can be reached at science@runningmagazine.ca
Also by Alex:
- Antioxidants may delay muscle recovery
- Running outside in polluted air
- Can lifting weights fix my lower back pain?
Want to read more?
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