Levels of physical inactivity and obesity are very high in
children, with fewer than 50% of primary school-aged boys and fewer than 28% of
girls meeting the minimum levels of physical activity required to maintain
health. Exergaming, using active console video games that track player movement
to control the game (e.g., Xbox-Kinect, Wii), has become popular, and may
provide an alternative form of exercise to counteract sedentary behaviors. In a
study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers
studied the effects of exergaming on children.
Dr. Louise Naylor and researchers from The University of
Western Australia, Liverpool John Moores University, and Swansea University
evaluated 15 children, 9-11 years of age, who participated in 15 minutes each
of high intensity exergaming (Kinect Sports – 200m Hurdles), low intensity
exergaming (Kinect Sports – Ten Pin Bowling), and a graded exercise test
(treadmill). The researchers measured energy expenditure. They also measured
the vascular response to each activity using flow-mediated dilation (FMD),
which is a validated measure of vascular function and health in children.