Comparison of energy expenditure in adolescents when playing new generation and sedentary computer games: cross sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the energy expenditure of adolescents when playing sedentary and new generation active computer games.


METHODS
Cross sectional comparison of four computer games.


METHODS
Research laboratories.


METHODS
Six boys and five girls aged 13-15 years. Procedure Participants were fitted with a monitoring device validated to predict energy expenditure. They played four computer games for 15 minutes each. One of the games was sedentary (XBOX 360) and the other three were active (Wii Sports).


METHODS
Predicted energy expenditure, compared using repeated measures analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Mean (standard deviation) predicted energy expenditure when playing Wii Sports bowling (190.6 (22.2) kJ/kg/min), tennis (202.5 (31.5) kJ/kg/min), and boxing (198.1 (33.9) kJ/kg/min) was significantly greater than when playing sedentary games (125.5 (13.7) kJ/kg/min) (P<0.001). Predicted energy expenditure was at least 65.1 (95% confidence interval 47.3 to 82.9) kJ/kg/min greater when playing active rather than sedentary games.


CONCLUSIONS
Playing new generation active computer games uses significantly more energy than playing sedentary computer games but not as much energy as playing the sport itself. The energy used when playing active Wii Sports games was not of high enough intensity to contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise in children.
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008838:Microcomputers; D018910:Video Games