American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2009
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 today.
About one-third of the virtual physical activities
require an energy expensive 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.
