Playing active video games can equal moderate-intensity exercise

Exercise achieved by playing motion- and gesture-controlled video games may offer the daily amount of exercise required by the American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine, according to data presented this week at the American Heart Association Meeting.

About one-third of the virtual physical activities require an energy expense of 3 metabolic equivalent values (METs) or higher.

Researchers assessed the energy expenditure of 12 men and women aged 25 to 44 years using a metabolic chamber. The open-circuit, indirect metabolic chamber consisted of an airtight room.

Participants performed physical activities with Nintendo WiiFit (yoga, resistance, balance and aerobics) and WiiSports (golf, bowling, tennis, baseball and boxing). Participants were randomly assigned to three different protocols:

Sitting rest WiiFit balance and resistance exercises for 3 hours and 50 minutes;
WiiFit yoga and aerobic exercises for 3 hours and 13 minutes; or
WiiSports for 48 minutes.

Mean intensities for all 48 activities ranged from 1.3 METs (yoga) to 5.6 METs (resistance exercise).

The most effective WiiSports activity was boxing (4.5 METs). The most effective WiiFit activity was the single-arm stand (5.6 METs).

Intensities achieved with yoga and balance activities were significantly lower when compared with intensities achieved with aerobic and resistance exercise.

Nine activities had intensity <2 metabolic equivalent values, 23 had intensity of 2 to 3 values, nine had intensity of 3 to 4 values and 5 had intensity values >4.

According to AHA exercise guidelines, light intensity exercise is <3 METs; moderate-intensity is 3 to 6 METs; and vigorous activity is >6 METs.

Video game systems such as this using arm gestures and motions are growing in popularity, according to the researchers.

“The energy expenditure in these active games is sufficient to prevent or improve obesity and life-style related disease,” Motohiko Miyachi, PhD, project leader of Project for Physical Activity in the Health Promotion and Exercise Program at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan, said in a press release. “These systems may attenuate the sedentary lifestyle and permit video game enthusiasts to increase their energy expenditure.”

This study was funded by Nintendo. – by Jennifer Southall

For more information:

Miyachi M. #1045: Presented at the American Heart Association 2009 Scientific Sessions; Nov.14-18; Orlando, Fla.