Video games, not necessarily a 100% sedentary activity
Recently published in the Journal of Obesity, a study (1) focused on measuring inactivity through video games.
It is generally accepted that video games are a sedentary activity. However, games of the type including physical activity in their “gameplay” (ie in the gaming experience) have greatly developed in recent years. There are many games in which physical activity is required.
It is from this observation that scientists set out to determine what was the real share of average activity in the use of video games.
The study
Carried out in Australia, the study consisted of interviewing 2,026 adults (over 18) by telephone. He was then asked for details on their habits in relation to video games. If there were children in the household (which was the case for 537 households), then one of them was randomly selected in order to retrieve their video game habits.
The results show that:
- 31.3% of respondents (adults) sometimes played video games
- A higher figure for children: 79.9%
About these people:
- 24.1% of adults indicated that they played “fitness” type games or games involving physical exercise (dance games, etc.)
- 42.1% of children were involved in these games
In terms of time spent compared to total time on video games, this represents:
- About 33% of the time in adults
- About 20% of the time in children
The study indicates that although most of these “sports” games constitute only light to moderate physical activity, these numbers are statistically significant .
Why this study
Previous studies (2) had already agreed several times on the fact that these games generally represented benefits for players. But until now, according to the researchers, there has been no study to determine the proportion of time spent on these “sports” video games. This is now resolved.
In addition, the scientists wanted to demonstrate that it was possible to broaden the scope of communication campaigns in order to get individuals to play sports. Historically, campaigns to promote physical activity have focused almost exclusively on fairly traditional activities (running, etc.). Even if a sedentary lifestyle is to be avoided, it, in this case with regard to video games, can sometimes hide avenues on which to work to encourage individuals to do more sport. Further promoting these “sports” games in communication campaigns could therefore be an area for future improvement.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.